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Pace 12 PHOENIX March 7,1974E d it o r ia lsU rge D e s ig n a tio nThe development concerning the so-called Gas Company site'long the Gowanus Canal that was revealed at the public hearingf the Planning Commission bodes ill for the future of a new highchool in the South Brooklyn area, and we are both surprised andlisappointed that it came as a surprise to everyone that aupermarket developer had owned the property since last fall.Open land anywhere in New York City is hard to come by theseJays without tremendous community upheaval, and it borders onriminal that developers would be able to snatch away thisiroperty from possible public use on the pretext of priorownership. We hope this won't happen.The years-long struggle of community groups in Carroll Gariens and adjacent areas to keep this land open for public use haseen twice derailed by a factory and a cement plant, with publicofficials claiming all the while that they wanted to see this huge>pen plot developed for some public use. This supermarketproposal would appear to be the last leg of the triangle thatoesn't include the neighborhood.We don%u2019t oppose a new, modern supermarket, necessarily, butve do believe that this one particular site, which has long beendvocated for public use, should not be allowed to go the way of^discriminate development. We urge the Planning Commissiono approve the proposed %u2018%u2018public place%urge neighborhood groups to pledge to continue to fight, if it isdenied, to keep the remaining site clear until the City can legallyact to make this area public.J o n 'f O v e r-R e a c tWe were among those who considered it a breach of publicrust when school teachers joined the ranks of truck drivers inaxercising the %u201cright\devoted to the propagation of learning to find rational means toaccomplish their goals.It therefore disturbs us %u2014 perhaps it is simply a sign of theumes %u2014 that the picket lines went up in front of the BrooklynMuseum last Sunday, even if it was only for a symbolic few hours.The beleaguered Brooklyn Museum and its employees have beenthrough enough over the past year, we think, and urge on thetown fathers who oversee the institution a rational response totheir employee's demands.The upheaval at the Museum, according to Board ChairmanLevinson in December, was chiefly the result of Board shortomings. Though the implication was otherwise, it would appearthat the principal Board shortcoming was probably inattention,et's hope there is no over-reaction in this dispute, and that theorofessional attitudes expected of the staff will be equally pursued by the public trustees of the Museum%u2019s treasury who sit onthe board to conduct its affairs.O u r N e w H o m eOver the past weekend, the PHOENIX moved to a new home.The switch was both traumatic and exhilarating for us. Leavingour first home on Clinton Street was done with the memory of ourbeginning labor pains in launching this newspaper very fresh, butthe excitement and joy in the necessity of a move to newer,enormously larger quarters brought alive the even broaderfuture of this publishing venture in which we are embarked.We are grateful to our readers and our advertisers for makingthe PHOENIX the lively, interesting newspaper it is. We arepleased with our own growth and progress, and believe we aremaking a worthy contribution to the neighborhoods we serve.rh%u00ab%u00bb PHOENIX is published 50 times a year by Advocate Press, Inc., 155 Atlantic Avenuo, Brooklyn, NewN ork 11201. Single copy price is 15 cents, annual sub-..criptiw,, b> moil in New York aiaie. effective July 1,I07:i is $5; outside New York, $6.M ic h a e l A . A r m s tr o n g , P u b lis h e r1 3 0 C lin to n S tre e tB ro o k ly n 11201, Tel. 643-1032.......... %u25a0 %u25a0%u25a0 %u25a0%u25a0%u25a0%u25a0%u25a0 - -- -B r o o k l y n E a g l e P o s t C a r d , S e r i e s 65, N o . 3 87.1 ype of Very Old H ouses on Baltic Street, near S m ith.WAY BACK W HEN DEPARTMENT: THE HOUSES IN THIS POSTCARD VIEW ARECASUALTIES OF PROGRESS, (GUZZIO COLLECTION)iiiiiiiiimmiiiiiiimmmmmimiiimiiimiiiimiiimiimiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiimiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiimiimmiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiimimiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiilP lan B o ardC o o rd in a te dDear Editor:Your %u201c Fort Greene%u201d correspondent Dan Icolari apparently does not know th history and genesis of the widening of Myrtle Avenue, nor is he aware that the Planning Board works very closely with the Fort Greene Landmarks Committee and the Pratt Area Community Council.The Planning Board voted for the widening of Myrtle Avenue over 2 years ago. The Board felt then and it feels now that the slight widening done properly will improve the shopping, parking and pedestrian comfort and has assurances that Myrtle Avenue canno and will not become a one way highway like De Kalb or Lafayette became. Slowly moving traffic rather than constant bottlenecks, will serve to lessen noise and pollution.The above mentioned groups did have their opinions and their appeals heard over the years by the Planning Board and the City Agencies.At its February meeting, a motion to reverse the earlier approval of the widening was defeated overwhelmingly.The Planning Board is composed of people from throughout the area. They represent various groups throughout the district. The minority opinion in this matter as in all others is welcomed by the Planning Board to sharpen the focus on the details even though the majority will is carried out.Planning Board 2 is preparing for the Bicentennial in Downtown Brooklyn, Fort Greene Farragut and Clinton Hill. A workshop for interested groups and residents will be held Saturday March 23, 1974 from 1-5 P.M. at St. Joseph%u2019s College.Sincerely.Fr. Anthony J. Failla,Chairman, Community District Planning Board.No. 2Change WouldDestroy Cad manParks Probe,The Phoenix G entlem en;In response to your invitation to your readers to send their thoughts about Cadman Park to you, I should like to make the following comments.First, I should like to point out that Cadman Park is not actually a park which is generally situated inside an area that provides abuffer zone between ii and theresidents of that community. Cadman* Park is merely a strip of land separating two heavily populated city streets.Second, since the charge for the Brooklyn Tunnel was drastically increased an overwhelming volume of commercial and passenger traffic has been diverted to the free use of the streets leading to the Brooklyn Bridge. This has resulted in an unbearable amount of noise pollution inflicted upon the residents directly along the newly created major artery to Manhattan.Thank YouDear Sir:I would like to take this opportunity to thank your paper, (a bit belatedly) for alerting this community to the proposed mall on Seventh Ave. Also for showing both sides of the story so fairly. This is good reporting and the true function of any good newspaper, of which, alas, we have too few. Hence, my subscription.Sincerely, Mildred Menogue 542 Third St.Register HelpTo the Editor:We are looking for help from people interested in assisting in the current drive to register people to vote. If you live in the South Brooklyn area and want to donate time, call 855-6855.Pub Santiag< 276 Dean SIGrave DisserviceTo the Editor:I think the coverage in the February 28, 1974, edition of Ms Louise Finney%u2019s declaration ol candidacy does a grave disservice to the Phoenix and to the Park Slope community it serves.Having attended the CBED an nual meeting I am well aware that Ms. Finney%u2019s remarks were onlj one feature of that gathering While I certainly agree that such edeclaration of candidacy may havt the most news value, I wonder whj the reporter failed completely t( indicate that Joe Ferris, withirContinued on Page 17iiiiKiiiimiHRiimiuiiittniiMiiiiHiiiiiHaiiiKiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiifiAiiHiHiiimiiiFlatbush Ex ten W o nTo the Editor:there is a small decco buildingon flatbush avenue extention n .B.i saw again going homeand remembered years ago(thinking it then, and until now, stilla distant street in deepest brooklyn)when I was herefor a birth certificateso a girl could marryfor four or five yearsas many years ago againand all is gone %u2014 her and then %u2014of thatand like the empty theater saidwhen i turned the r n r n p r n n f n l t n n ctroot chiselled in stone above a billboard ad%u201cVita Brevis.%u201d Sincerely,Gregor Owen St. Felix StreetNote: As you may know, %u201cFlatbush Avenue Extention%u201d, as opposed to extension, is the way the city fathers chose to indicate the street on the traffic signs.iHiiiiimiiiiiiiimiiiiiitiiiimiiiiiiimiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimmiiiimmiiiimimiiiiiiiiiThird, we, in Whitman Close, particularly, have for the past six years, already suffered from the activities at the War Memorial Building and adjacent grounds. The blaring rock and roll music from the dances in the building, the relentless bongo drummers, the rehearsing drill groups, the football practice has disturbed our sleep, our guests and restricted our use of our terraces.In view of the foregoing, I strongly urge you to shift your plans for a recreational area where it will not infring on the rights of other citizens. As to those who have already made some suggestions, particularly the lady who would like a carousel and fair grounds in Cadman Park, it woild be interesting to know where she lives and how she would like such activities in her front yard.Upon reflection, I am sure that every fairminded resident in Brooklyn Heights will agree that rather than enhance Cadman Park, any change would destroy it.Sincerely,(Mrs.) Florence Glassman 75 Henry St.