BPC People – Abby Ehrlich
Abby Ehrlich with her mother and son at a Go Fish! fishing event.
Abby joined BPC Parks 17 years ago as Director of Parks Programming where she has developed a robust portfolio of organized activities and events throughout Battery Park City. Today, BPC Parks Programming offers hundreds of free activities for residents of all ages in addition to a wide variety of art & cultural events throughout the neighborhood. In this past year alone, Abby and her team have hosted more than a quarter of a million people. In addition to overseeing the Parks Programming operations, Abby is also responsible for managing the Community Center at Stuyvesant High School –a role she has embraced since 2002.
Abby received her undergraduate degree in Art History from Connecticut College and a Masters in Museum Education & Leadership from Bank Street Graduate School of Education. She joined us with more than 20 years of experience in education and outreach at various art museums in New York City, including The Frick Collection, New Museum, Brooklyn Museum, and Whitney Museum of American Art, as well as the Washington State Arts Commission where she managed the public art program for 2,000 public schools.
Growing up in Norwalk, Connecticut, Abby enjoyed playing in the woods, fishing and sailing a dinghy in Long Island Sound, where she found solace and endless opportunities to explore nature. One of the highlights of her career at BPC Parks was being a member of the creative design committee for Teardrop Park, where she subsequently worked to integrate parks programming activities. She views the park as a splendid oasis which is reminiscent of where she first connected with nature.
When asked what she loves most about her job, Abby said, “Parks Programming offers the opportunity every day to provide fun, thoughtful activities to people, regardless of their age”. Whatever you enjoy- Fishing, Bird Watching, Art, there is a good chance Abby and her team have an activity you would appreciate. And if not, feel free to offer your suggestions as we are continuously looking to grow our programs and welcome new ideas!
Upcoming Events
Reading & Conversation with Bernadette Mayer
Poets House
November 14, 3 pm
10 River Terrace
Gather to celebrate the endless capacity and singular brilliance of Bernadette Mayer. She is the author of more than twenty collections of poetry including Poetry State Forest (2008) and Sonnets (1989), which was recently reprinted to mark its twenty-fifth anniversary. This reading will feature special introductions by Michael Ruby and Sam Truitt, co-editors of Eating the Colors of a Lineup of Words: The Collected Early Books of Bernadette Mayer (2015). Tickets required for non-members.
Teen Nights – Parents not included
Friday
November 19, 4 -7 pm
6 River Terrace
Drop by for a few hours to meet friends or make new ones. Play table tennis, life-size chess, giant Connect-4 & Jenga, listen to music and relax. Grades 7-12. Free! For more info, visit www.bpcparks.org.
The Rink at Brookfield Place
Brookfield Plaza
Opens November 21
(Weather permitting)
United States Olympians Melissa Gregory and Denis Petkhov will bring a boutique ice skating experience to The Rink, offering upscale ice skating programs for men, women and children. Appointments available daytime, evening and weekends. Please visit www.gpice.com for more information regarding programming, public skate hours and events. Free weekday skating will be offered to BPC residents through December 22nd with proof of address (zip codes 10280, 10281 and 10282). Excludes holidays.
Suspension Bridge Challenge
Skyscraper Museum
November 21, 10:30 – 11:45 am
39 Battery Place
There are many types of bridges, but what’s so special about a suspension bridge? After learning about some of the longest bridges in the world, kids will be assigned to make two bridges: a simple beam bridge and a s suspension bridge. After a test, they will see which one can hold the most weight. Ages 8+ RSVP required 212 945 6324.
Diorama-Rama
Poets House
November 21, 11 am – 5 pm
10 River Terrace
Stop by Poets House to mix together cool art materials and poetic fragments inside clear-sided boxes. Watch as a literary diorama forms before your eyes. All ages. Art materials $10.
MJH Kids Theater
Museum of Jewish Heritage
November 22, 10:30 am
36 Battery Place
The kick off a new series of family-friendly programs offering theater performances; innovative hands-on workshops; and tasty snacks. Play along as we bring to life an original piece inspired by two favorite PJ Library stories, something from Nothing and Joseph Had A Little Overcoat. For ages 4 to 8, siblings welcome. Tickets at door.
And coming up in December…
BPC Parks Annual Tree Lighting
South Cove
Thursday, December 3, 5:45 – 7 pm
Celebrate the holidays at the BPC Parks annual tree lighting in South Cove, with refreshments, caroling and more. A jolly guest is expected to visit!
Share the joy! Please bring a new, unwrapped gift or clothing for the many children and teens living in NYC shelters. Gifts will be wrapped and distributed by Stockings with Care.
Barry Bergdoll Book Talk/ Partners in Design
Alfred H. Barr & Phillip Johnson
Skyscraper Museum
Wednesday December 2, 6:30 – 8 pm
Barry Bergdoll, an architectural historian and the Meyer Schapiro Professor of Art History and Archeology at Columbia University will examine the context of New York’s architectural cultures in the late Twenties and the catalytic role of the 1932 MoMA exhibition curated by Johnson and Henry Russell Hitchcock, called Modern Architecture: International Exhibition. All guests must RSVP to programs at www.skyscraper.org.
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