On February 12, a new and improved state-of-the-art media lab opened at the Red Hook Recreation Center, home of the outdoor swimming pool and recently renovated basketball courts weight room and a a gorgeous learning room outfitted and installed by IKEA (see next page).
NYC Parks Commissioner, Amazon head of Community Affairs Carley Graham Garcia and community members celebrated the opening of the enhanced media lab, which is next to the basketball courts.
The upgraded media lab, which includes a sound isolation booth (whisper room), new studio speakers, animation technology, and more new additions, was made possible due to Amazon’s $100,000 donation.
Part of the Amazon grant is used to pay a media education coordinator, Helena Krawizik, who teaches classes and helps members of all ages learn digital media skills and use the on-site technology. She is at the lab five days a week.
Making podcasts
The media lab is already bringing excited local kids together to learn how to make videos and podcasts under Krawizik’s guidance.
“With this wonderful media lab, we’re expanding opportunities for Red Hook residents of all ages to develop vital digital media skills at a place they already know and love,” said the Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue at the dedication.
“Our recreation centers aren’t just great for working up a sweat–they’re beloved community spaces where New Yorkers can explore their interests, gain new skills, and connect with their neighbors. I’m so grateful to Amazon for their generous donation and for their consistent support for our public parks throughout the city, she added.
Amazon partnered with Parks to do this upgrade after Amazon’s Garcia visited the facility and saw what the previous version of the media lab looked like. It urgently needed an upgrade, as it was still using outdated computers and technology.
“We are thrilled to partner with Parks to bring to life this media lab that will benefit members of the local community in Red Hook and beyond. We are particularly proud that our donation will help the youth who may not otherwise have access to these great tools, as they hone their skills to become the next generation of leaders in Brooklyn,” said Garcia at the February 12 opening.
NYC residents under 25 years old can use the lab for free.
The media lab is equipped with a WhisperRoom sound isolation booth for audio production and studio speakers with a subwoofer.
State-of-the-art computers
In the studio, there are five new M2 Mac Minis for photography, graphic design, video editing, and audio production; DSLR T8i cameras; new iPads for stop-motion animation, drawing, and mobile programming; and computers with internet access.
It took two weeks to construct the new lab. Walls were repainted, the flooring is all new and waterproofed, with new desks, new computers and a new AC unit.
The two new DSLR cameras are used for photography and video with microphones that can be attached.
The media lab already had the WhisperRoom but all the cables and headphones are new. There is now a better computer that’s used with the WhisperRoom, so when someone records the sound is a lot better than before.
Krawizik tells us that the room is good for narration recording, singing and freestyle rap. A lot of kids do covers of songs they know.
Right now the isolation booth is the most popular feature of the room.
The kids have been learning music production. Another activity is creating video podcasts where they learn interview skills.
They are some interested in digital drawing and animation. The kids will learn to draw on the iPads and will learn how to use Photoshop to edit pictures.
Later on, they will do music videos in the media lab. They will edit the videos with their own music.
All the computers in the state-of-the-art lab have the Adobe Creative Suite installed, which includes video and photo, sound and photo editing. The computers are also loaded with music editing software.
There is a lot of opportunity for kids and adults alike to learn new tech skills.
Amazon’s community support is growing
Amazon, which operates three facilities in Red Hook, has made contributions toward recreation opportunities and public space improvement in Red Hook and throughout Brooklyn.
In 2022 and 2023, Amazon sponsored the New Leader Hoops recreational basketball league at the Red Hook Recreation Center.
They are also sponsors of the Red Hook-based RETI Center barge, which provides environmental education programs and green economy training to low-income communities.
Elsewhere in Brooklyn, Amazon has sponsored “ReNew Prospect Park,” supporting clean-up efforts in the park in partnership with the non-profit organization ACE New York, which employs formerly homeless New Yorkers.
Parks and Trees!
In recent years, Parks has invested millions of dollars to promote green space access and expand tree cover in Red Hook. They have prioritized planting to replace trees lost due to Superstorm Sandy.
Since 2022, Parks has planted 90 trees on streets and in parks in Red Hook, providing shade cover and improving air quality for Red Hook residents.
Parks is in the third phase of a major project enhancing the ballfields with state-of-the-art turf, fitness equipment, and other recreational amenities, totaling $137.5 million across the project’s four phases.
Parks is also planning a major $121 million renovation of the Recreation Center to upgrade the pool, make the center more resilient and further enhance the indoor programming spaces. The design process will begin this summer.
