Locals Draft Petition for Dust Bowl's Removal From Fort Greene Park

Fort Greene residents have created a petition asking that the dirt field located in Fort Greene Park, dubbed "the Dust Bowl," be removed and replaced with a more aesthetically and environmentally pleasing field.

Addressed to local politicians, park officials and Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the Change.org petition asks for the field to be converted into a "real and permanent soccer field" using astro turf and grass. 

Calling the field's current conditions "gross," petitioner Fort Greene Park notes that "no one likes to play in the dirt and broken glass," and "no one likes to get dust in their eyes or breathe it in."

The petition also argues that astro turf is an easy-to-maintain surface, and that improving the field would help increase property values.

"I live in the area and regularly go to this park on the weekends, so I know how much of an eye sore it is in the dust hole. After Sandy it got even worse as we lost some of the trees near it as well, it would be nice to give this little park a little love. It needs it," wrote Ana Munoz, a signer of the petition.

The petition needs 428 signatures in total, and as of May 20, had a total of 72.