Coffee Flats Terrors

I feel a bit like a man obsessed. But not too obsessed. Bocce can be a healthy outdoor activity, right? I mean, there can be a tremendous amount of walking back and forth involved.

I didn’t play bocce earlier today, but I did a fair amount of scouting around the southwestern parts of Brooklyn. My tour of Brooklyn bocce facilities continued this afternoon. I definitely had more success today than I did Thursday.

My travels are highlighted in the photo below:

I started the day with a burger from Bubby’s in DUMBO (*no photo available. Superfine wasn’t open.). Their biscuits are almost perfect – just a touch too dry for me. This morning the two bocce courts I wanted to visit most were the courts at Dyker Park and the ones at Marine Park. I’d heard that both were active and filled with players. Before brunch, I’d picked up both bus and subway maps. I was anxious to get started.

Since the F train is accessible from DUMBO, I decided to begin the day’s bocce search at Gravesend Park.

When the conductor’s voice echoed through the train that we’d be going express I smiled. After going underground in Park Slope, it didn’t take long to get to the 18th Ave. stop. An eleven block walk through the Borough Park neighborhood led to Gravesend Park. A quick glance failed to offer any view of bocce courts.

I walked the park between 18th and 19th Avenues and couldn’t find any bocce courts. Knowing better things were to come, I continued south.

There’s something calming about taking the bus when you’re not in a hurry. I love traveling above-ground when I’m visiting parts of a city I’ve never seen before. The trip along the B8 isn’t a bad one at all. It’s interesting to watch the repeating process of one neighborhood transforming into another.

The B8 took me to Cropsey Ave and 17th Ave. I hopped off and walked a block to the north side of Bath Beach Park. This photo was taken from Shore Pky, the opposite entrance than the one I used. This park can definitely be described as an “active” bocce park.

There’s a fence around the park and I assume a guy named Sal is responsible for unlocking the gate every morning.

There was a game going on in one of the two courts in the park. Eight men were on the field, with a few others huddled around. The dirt surface was well maintained

On a hot day like today, the sun can get pretty strong. Without any arboreal shade, the gentleman here had created tarps at either end of their preferred court. I hate to say this because I want to be nice, but just to the left of the end in this photograph (and behind the fence) is the men’s bathroom. It could use a little shade, too. If I ever play at this bocce court, my nose will ask that I play from the other end. In addition to the two bocce courts, the fenced-in area also housed picnic tables and benches. The city should really start renting this area for parties and cookouts!

I had a brief conversation with one of the players who informed me that all the guys who play there pay a $5 maintenance fee for the balls and upkeep. He didn’t direct me to Sal, though.

Because it’s so close to the water, I couldn’t help but walk across Shore Pky and onto the pedestrian bridge that crosses the Belt Parkway.

I left the park and thought about catching the B64 to Dyker Park. I walked along the route, but never saw the bus headed in my direction. Fifteen minutes later I crossed 14th Ave into the eastern part of Dyker Park. I was excited that I’d get the chance to watch more bocce here.

No dice. More fences. More locks. I couldn’t believe the two bocce courts here were empty! I looked around, stunned. Groups of men were sitting at a half dozen picnic tables along the fence line. I made eye contact with the one younger guy who hopped up to talk to me.

Apparently, they were locked out of the bocce courts this past Monday. Repairs and upgrades are forthcoming. He found this out after making a number of calls to the parks department. The group that plays bocce here hadn’t received any notice of the upgrades. And they don’t have an exact timetable as to when they’ll be completed.

One can assume these bocce courts will be closed for the rest of the summer. There are no signs about the construction. I find that odd because I imagine these two courts are among the most active in the city. As the guy I spoke with pointed out to me, the trees provide great shade. There’s a store across the street so the players can get sandwiches and coffee. It’s a great place to play bocce and I definitely look forward to visiting these courts next year.

The love for bocce here definitely seemed strong and the guy I spoke with thorught I was a journalist. He saw me taking pictures and hoped that I could get them seen, that I could write an article. He’s still steamed about the bocce situation there. I can’t believe I didn’t pull out my notebook and at least get his name. He was a really nice guy and definitely the person to speak with about bocce at Dyker Park. The city told him that he and his friends could play at some of the other city courts, like the ones at Marine Park. As he shared with me, “gas is expensive. And there’s no store across the street.” But members of the bocce groups here, at Marine Park and at Bath Beach play at each others’ facilities. The guys at Dyker Park pay $5, but at Marine Park the fee is $25! I want to meet the collector of these fees! Why didn’t I pull out my notebook and become a journalist this afternoon???

Also, I forgot to pack a bottle of water when I left the apartment this morning. I was excited to visit Marine Park and I headed over to the bus stop. When I looked at my map, I decided to take the B1 along 86th Street. I’d jump off around Avenue U and catch another bus that would get me closer to Marine Park.

The route along 86th Street is even more interesting than the route down 18th Avenue. I felt like I was in an entirely different city. A city with a lot of people.

When I disembarked, I checked my maps again. Why was I deciding to skip checking out the bocce courts at Drier Offerman Park? Was it because I couldn’t locate them on Google Earth? Hadn’t my conversation about shade at Dyker Park taught me anything? Instead of finding a bus on Avenue U, I walked toward Cropsey Avenue, cursing myself for not catching the X28 at Dyker Park

I looked through the front gate at Drier Offerman Park and saw the bocce courts right away. They weren’t fenced in and no one was playing on them. Not a good sign. The parks website says "Drier-Offerman Park" and the sign at the park says "Dreier Offerman Park." Interesting.

Whoa! Two courts! In the shade! That the surface wasn’t covered with rocks or patches of weeds was the most shocking thing of all! I’d found the bocce courts I wanted to play on!

There’s even a scoreboard! I’m still trying to think of what can be used as pegs to keep score.

Benches! A picnic table! And the wood along the lower court walls seems to be in good shape, despite needing a coat of paint.

In going through the photos this evening, I noticed that one rail section on this court is missing. It’s not a huge deal, and definitely not a deal breaker for playing here. A few minutes spent sweeping a few stray leaves, and these courts should be playable

I checked out the neighborhood. A store for coffee or donuts or Haagen-Dazs ice cream bars is just across the street.

My trip to Marine Park will have to wait a few weeks.

I’ve sent an email to some friends in Brooklyn. We plan to play on the Drier Offerman Park bocce courts at 1:30pm tomorrow, Memorial Day. I’ll take photos!