One man’s trash-planter is another man’s… trash-planter.
Six dumpsters repurposed into gardens are moving from Gowanus to Industry City. Housing developer Alloy put the plant-filled waste bins along the banks of Brooklyn’s Nautical Purgatory to help soak up rain water before it hits the ever-flooding creek — and bring attention to the waterway’s sorry state — under the auspices of the city’s pop-up-plaza program “street seats.”
But the temporary art installation’s time there is over, and caretakers the Gowanus Canal Conservancy are recycling them again — this time by moving them to Sunset Park’s center of hip, where they will fit in nicely, one member of the group said.
“I think it makes a lot of sense that a maker-space like Industry City is taking over the dumpsters. It’ll add greenery and carry on reusing the dumpsters,” said conservancy member and Bedford–Stuyvesant resident Andrea Parker. “The dumpsters made great planters. The trees we planted really thrived, and we’re always looking to reuse and recycle so we’re glad they’re getting a new life somewhere else.”
It’s still a toss up where Industry City will place the 11-foot-long, bright blue bins — or what flora it intends to stuff them with, honchos said.
But locals will take anything they can get to add some sorely needed greenery to the area, said one resident.
“This place is in dire need of trees — look around — everything is brick and grey around here,” said Sunset Parker Rebecca Solitario. “I think it’s a great idea. Some flowers would be really nice. It will give this place some life.”
