BY DENNIS LYNCH “ …A coalition of local stakeholders want the Parks and Recreation Department to make good on a promise it made almost 20 years ago to reopen the former recreation center that the agency has used as an operations facility since the 1980s….

“Everybody around would like to see it used…whether it’s a place for homeless people to come and get their bearings, a resiliency center or a general community center. Any use would be better than what it is now….”

Advocates recently gained a valuable ally and colleague in Robert Watson, a leading environmental scientist. Watson, often called the “Father of LEED” (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for helping found the green-building certification program, became involved with the park and visits weekly to help garden. He pushed state Senator Daniel Squadron to support the project at the senator’s town hall earlier this month…”