Prospect Park Trashed By Annual BBQ

0709bbq.jpg
Photo via some litterbug's Twitter
As we know, the 4th of July left a huge mess in the city's public spaces, particularly Prospect Park. Nothing says independence like the freedom to trash your neighborhood! At the time, the Prospect Park Alliance had noted the challenge of cleaning after holidays, but the Brooklyn Paper reports that this Sunday the park was left in even worse shape. Allegedly a company called MIH Ventures held their annual Heatwave BBQ there, leaving behind hundreds of pounds of trash.

The Parks Department is now going after the events planning company, who didn't have a permit (which is needed for gatherings of over 25 people). Parks spokesman Phil Abramson told the paper, "we are looking into our options available to recover any damages." Since there was no permit, the parks crew wasn't prepared for the amount of cleaning, and one worker says it took four hours, two dumptrucks and forty people to clean up after the revelers departed.

One volunteer was worried about the nearly 400 small children at a day camp in that park, who were left "playing and sitting in the aftermath of that garbage, which was infested with rats."

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Thanks for reprinting this, the part that isn't in the article is how the cops let them do whatever they want. I saw a motorcycle pass a cop on the sidewalk, my neighbor asked a cop what was going on and he said "nothing, just a bad ass barbeque."

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At what point is it the park's responsibility to clean up after anyone's trash - no matter what the size of the group. Pack your sh*t back into the bags you brought it there in, and take it home with you.

An events planning company can't even plan its own holiday cookout and saddles the city with the cleanup.

MIH Ventures Executive director Jonevan Hornsby: jonevan_hornsby@mihicon.com

718-622-5665

Any company with "Ventures" in its name is instantly a problem. Trust me on this.

New Yorkers just love leaving or throwing trash around.

This is why we can't have nice things. It's pretty absurd that people can't take it upon themselves to throw out their own garbage. Fuckin' savages.

those who litter (dog waste too) should be dumped in jail like the trash they are. there is no reason to leave you crap behind.

Peep the twitter action yo:
YoungMClayton: Dressed *fresh* as always.. now I just need to get my budington and then I'm gone... Heatwave BBQ here I come

The executive director of MIH Ventures deserves some jail time while the company itself should have to pay a fine that they will remember for years to come.

They acted with complete disregard for other users of the park and the people of this city who have to pay for cleaning up their garbage. Fines and jail time, that's the answer. Then you will find other companies acting more responsibly, not because they are responsible to the city, but to save their own butts.

Have been trying to figure out under which circumstances to use "off the hook" versus "off the chain"?

Are they synonymous or is there some subtle difference I'm missing.

Thanks in advance.

Jonevan Hornsby and MIH should be ashamed of themselves. Events like these are the worst publicity for an event planning company. It looks amateurish and disreputable. If a company like Goldman Sachs hired MIH and something like this happened, it would be a PR disaster for Goldman. But not only this, since it's primarily an African American event, it's a black eye for the entire community.

Anybody who can't clean up after themselves should be ashamed of themselves as individuals. These are probably the same slobs who leave their crap on a subway car or think nothing of throwing their trash on the street instead of in garbage cans. As for the event-planning company, I guess they're not so good with the whole "planning" part. Leaving the park like that is the work of amateurs. Shameful.

MIHVentures LLC has only existed since 2004, so I guess they haven't been throwing the party for 9 years.

Their headquarters, at 699 Bergen Street, Suite 2
Brooklyn, NY, 11238, appears to be an apartment (according to google street view). Public records list Mr. Hornsby as the owner of that building.

write or call and express your discontent:

718-622-5662

Jonevan Hornsby, Executive Director
jonevan_hornsby@mihicon.com

Shane Bennett, Director
shane_bennett@mihicon.com

Phone number is no longer in service. I guess they 'planned' that too.

events this large should have extra trash receptacles, facilities and volunteers to clean up. or, charge admission and pay for someone to clean up afterwards.
is it that hard to get a few boxes of trash bags?
but living in this city long enough you'll see anything once, and someone throwing garbage out their window was one of them. not scrap garbage but a wastepaper basket full.

Event Planning "Company"

Come on, there are hundreds of these kinds of "companies." They usually consist of a couple guys or girls with little ambition other than to get drunk and laid and maybe figure out a way to get paid for doing both. They don't perform a service, they just put together theme nights at bars and stuff. You or I could do the same thing!

I'm definitely disgusted and disappointed in the lack of planning and consideration that is marring what was otherwise a great event. I'm also disgusted and disappointed (but not surprised!)at the subtle racism rearing it's head here. Its amazing how when the offending party is Black how quickly the cries for imprisonment and the namecalling ("savages" at that!)starts. And the use of slang is just hilarious, yo.

Um... is this your first time on Gothamist? People would be calling for imprisonment and calling people savages if the offenders were plaid.

I'm gonna call you a racist for reading too much into it. It doesnt matter that they're black (I didnt realize it until you said it to be honest, and I was agreeing with nearly every post above), just that they left a bunch of shit behind that needed to get cleaned up, and they should pay for it one way or another.

Hi All,

I also love & enjoy our beautiful Prospect Park. Mr. Hornsby is a very good friend of my old room mate, and through this connection my husband and I were invited to Heatwave.

This FREE event last Sunday was a chill and joyous occasion which served as a 'Thank you' for all those who have supported Mr. Hornsby's events for many years. The entire time I was there (about 3 hours) Mr. Hornsby tirelessly picked up trash, distributed garbage bags and reminded all guests to do the same.

Although Heatwave was called a Barbeque, Mr.Hornsby actually paid to have the entire event catered. Since this event has become quite popular, OTHER parties latched on to it, and set up shop with their own guests, and BBQ grills, completely separate from Mr. Hornsby's Heatwave event. Ofcourse, from outside appearances it would be difficult to see this.

I am quite disappointed that this entire situation has fallen onto Mr. Hornsby's shoulders alone, especially knowing how conscientious and respectful he is.
I also can not stand filthiness, and I imagine that the park was indeed a mess the following morning (just as it was July 4th), but at the end of the day it was just an annual Summer 'BBQ'. Nothing too deep. We live and we learn, we work together (build up, not down), and we keep enjoying OUR park. (^_^)

Blessings Brooklynites!


Rose27, Im sure Hornsby is a fine person. But this isnt a personal attack. He's runs an event planning company - he didnt bother to get a permit for a big event in a public space? That's simple negligence/incompetence.

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