Drummers Circle vendors getting the Red Hook treatment

Some rumors have circulated recently that The Man is trying to shut down the Prospect Park Drum Circle. The rumor is true in part, but only part.

The good news is that the drum circle itself is under no threat. (The Man apparently likes the drum circle.) The vendors around the Drummers' Circle, however, now have some paperwork and additional fees to pay if they want to remain at Drummers Grove.

In the past, the Parks Department had an agreement with the vendors that allowed them to merely pay a fee to the general fund of the city of New York. It was an arrangement not unlike the one with Latino food carts in Red Hook.

But if you know what happened to the Red Hook vendors, you know what happens next. Since someone at City headquarters decided that long-term (multi-month) agreements must be bid out, the Department of Parks and Recreations is openly soliciting bids for the Drummers' Grove area. The current vendors thus have to collectively put in a proposal and submit a bid. Individual food vendors will also continue to need permits from the Health Department.

So far as we know, no other vendors have submitted bids. Chances are the current vendors' bid will be the winning one (which is what happened in Red Hook). I tried several times to talk to Drummers Grove rep Fela Cameron about it, to no avail. But we'll keep you posted...

(Photo: Jen Robinson)

Comments

[K]

I hope, their are no plans to remove this culturally vibrant sunday ritual. I would rather like to see the other group that congregates in the park across from the Drum Circle go. This folks play their music sometimes up to mid night and beyond. Its a dis-grace how the trash the park. They need to go.

[P]

The drum circle isn't going anywhere.

All loud music is located by Prospect Park officials on the East side of the park. Symphony and Opera is located on the West side of the park.

[P]

"NOTE: Comments are moderated and only those comments deemed informative, funny, or otherwise worthwhile will be posted. (Honest criticism and questions are certainly welcome.) Don't like it? Start your own blog."

This is the only local Brooklyn blog I have seen that

(a) moderates comments prior to them being posted

(b) does not post comments for reasons that appear to be other than the typical commonsense reasons (i.e. being respectful of others and staying on topic).

(c) I think this blog fails to understand what a community blog is supposed to be.

Apparently my comment that only noisy music is located on this side of the park was squelched, even though as I type this someone is playing a steel drum in the park. This is a new weekly occurrence that has nothing to do with the pleasant Drummer's Circle, which I wholly support. This is in addition to the marching band practice.

None of these things take place on the West side of the park. Sorry if that offends you. Is it not true? Instead of squelching comments, try having an open discussion about things.

[Charles Star]

We're going to keep moderating, P, but we weren't screening your comment. This is a hobby, not a job. If we don't moderate promptly, some pretty offensive stuff would have made it online and stayed there for an unacceptable amount of time. Your frustration today is the price we pay. We're OK with that.

As for your substantive comment about noise on the East side of the park, I think it is conspiratorial nonsense. The bandshell on the West side of the park houses more than just symphonies and gets pretty loud. Your comment makes even less sense in light of your support of the Drum Circle, since the circle and the corresponding vendor stalls are largely by and for Flatbush.

If a steel drummer is bugging you, and it is a genuine noise problem rather than your own oversensitivity, call 311. That's what you'd have to do if you lived in Park Slope.