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Red and Greene! Locals light Fort Greene Park tree for season

By Julianne Cuba
Brooklyn Paper
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Photo gallery

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Photo by Caroline Ourso
Wannabe reindeer: Chad Purkey and Amanda Hawkins channeled their best Donner and Blitzen at the festivities.
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Photo by Caroline Ourso
Thar she glows: The Fort Greene Park tree all lit up.
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Photo by Caroline Ourso
Fall into Christmas: Youngsters Aki Terwilliger and Eva Pezua didn’t have any snow to play in, so they chose the next best thing, fallen leaves.
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Photo by Caroline Ourso
Santa’s little helpers: Latoya Ramjit, center left, flashed a giant smile while posing with Old Saint Nick and her husband, three kids, and niece during Fort Greene Park’s tree lighting bash on Sunday.
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It’s a beloved holiday tradition!

Merrymakers packed Fort Greene Park on Sunday to celebrate the season with a neighborhood tree lighting in the green space — a ceremony so festive that Santa Claus took some time out of his busy schedule to join the locals for the occasion, according to a mom, who said her tot enjoyed the jolly old elf’s appearance far more than she expected.

“I thought my son was going to be scared because it was his first time, but he was good,” said Fort Greener Latoya Ramjit.

Ramjit, her husband, and their three kids and niece joined dozens of residents at the fifth-annual tree lighting at the corner of Myrtle Avenue and St. Edwards Street — where city park honchos plan to kick off the creation of a new, controversial grand entrance to Fort Greene Park next year.

Revelers snacked on cookies as youngsters took their turns sitting on Santa’s lap, according to the mom, who said the event’s ample holiday cheer keeps her family coming back year after year.

“We love it, we go every year,” Ramjit said.

And this year’s bash drew so many spirited locals that organizers with the Fort Greene Park Conservancy — which oversees the meadow in conjunction with the city — and business-boosting group the Myrtle Avenue Partnership poured every last drop of the free hot cocoa they had on offer, according to Ramjit.

“The only thing the kids were bummed about was that they ran out of hot chocolate,” the mom said.

Reach reporter Julianne Cuba at (718) 260–4577 or by e-mail at jcuba@cnglocal.com. Follow her on Twitter @julcuba.
Posted 12:00 am, December 11, 2018

©2018

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Reasonable discourse

Harmeet from Ft Greene says:
They had the tree lighting right in the middle of the 58 trees the Parks Department is going to cut down so they can concrete that corner over with their $15 million redesign. Commissioner Maher hates trees.
Dec. 11, 2018, 11 am
Tree Hugger from Fort Greene says:
Celebrating a dead tree in the company of 40-60 foot living trees all slated to go through the tree shredder. Picture 58 mature trees sprawled across the park after being cut down. Bye-bye birds and the bees. Bye-bye shade and quiet. Hello hardscape plaza and commercial usage.
Dec. 11, 2018, 11:48 am
Natalie from Fort Greene says:
I echo the hypocrisy of this “celebration”! We celebrate a dead tree for a month while we let city leadership sacrifice the ones that serve us all year round.
Dec. 11, 2018, 12:30 pm
Spike Leebowitz from Movin on up to the Upper East Side says:
Looks like the same angry weirdo posted three times. Bah Humbug, lighten up. Merry Christmas
Dec. 11, 2018, 12:44 pm
Tree Hugger from Fort Greene says:
How light will you be when half the trees of the North end of FG Park lie dead across the park? Ha, Ha, so much fun! Watch the children burn in the sun while they play. So much fun! Merry holidays.
Dec. 11, 2018, 4:02 pm

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