Bed Stuy Aquarium: Fish pond under Brooklyn fire hydrant removed

NEW YORK (AP) — A makeshift aquarium that appeared in a puddle under a leaky fire hydrant this summer was paved over to the dismay of neighbors, who turned the area into a gathering place and shrine to goldfish.

The city's Department of Environmental Protection has Long said The leaking hydrant posed a safety hazard. On Friday morning, workers filled in the dirt area where the puddle used to be, and a patch of freshly poured concrete surrounding the repaired hydrant was cordoned off with yellow tape, making it look like the smallest crime scene ever in the city looked like.

“Oh my God,” Sofia Talavera said, her hands raised to her head as she surveyed the spot. “People actually took their time and money to make it beautiful. This was literally a community coming together.”

The so-called Bed-Stuy Aquarium, named after the surrounding Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood in Brooklyn, was created when the leaky fire hydrant hollowed out the shallow pool next to a tree bed on a residential street and residents filled it with store-bought goldfish.

The pond was controversial from the start. Some of the fish were “rescued” over the summer. of people who are concerned about their well-being. That angered others, who said the fish were fine, refilled the pool and posted a guard.

After media attention and some donations, organizers further expanded the site, adding signage, decorations and seating. A bootleg sign that looked like an official Parks Department plaque read “BEDSTUY AQUARIUM,” and a telephone pole was painted with palm-sized goldfish surrounded by blue.

The pond became easy for tourists to find after it became searchable on Google Maps. Two visitors from California who visited the site Friday morning said they had planned to send a picture to friends in Los Angeles who were obsessed from afar.

“Now we have to spread the news,” said Adam Aguilar, a visual artist. His friend placed a bouquet of flowers next to two flickering candles at an improvised memorial.

It always seemed inevitable that the fish would have to be removed at some point. The fire department needs functioning hydrants. Winter came.

Firefighters repaired the fire hydrant on Tuesday, but residents quickly filled the pond with water and fish. Videos on social media showed heated clashes between locals and firefighters, as well as police protection for the cement layers.

The Department of Environmental Protection said in a statement that it “looks forward to working with community members to find a suitable alternative site for this improvised gem,” adding, “This allows us to ensure the safety of New Yorkers.” , by ensuring that the fire that previously escaped is eliminated. “The hydrant does not freeze over and become inoperable.”

The remaining goldfish were removed and placed in a bucket, the department said.

Some residents expressed optimism that the pond could be relocated to a nearby community garden, while others are waiting to convert a run-down storefront on the block into an indoor aquarium and recreation room. Organizers most involved in the effort declined to comment.

On his way to work, Jon Frier passed the construction site and joked with friends: “Does anyone have a jackhammer?”

He paused and tried to draw a goldfish in the wet concrete. Across the street, an employee in an environmental protection truck warned him with a long honk, supported by a police officer in another vehicle.

“You just can’t give us anything, can you? I can’t believe Eric Adams,” Frier said, referring to the city’s mayor.

Adams' media team did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

City officials have sometimes clashed or negotiated with residents over the use of fire hydrants, long used to create cooling zones hot summer months. Eventually, a compromise was reached that would allow residents to apply for a permit to use a low-flow sprayer loaned and installed by a firefighter.

For Talavera, the disappearance of the aquarium means the loss of a nighttime gathering place that, unlike city parks, could not be closed at night.

After the New York Liberty won the WNBA She recently posted a grainy picture of the fire hydrant on Instagram at the national championships. It read: “Last night was so great I had to go to the aquarium to celebrate.”