Dozens of community members gathered to spread love the Brooklyn way at Raymond Bush Playground in Bed-Stuy on July 27 during its third annual Community Night celebration.
Community Night, curated by NYPD Community Affairs and Pastor Sharmaine Byrd of Community Conversation Collaboration Inc., is a night of unity and fun for the neighborhood to commemorate the life of Davell Gardner, a 1-year-old boy who was fatally shot in 2020 during a barbecue in the same park.
“In the midst of all of this, we wanted to present a safe haven where people can be in their community, with their neighbors and have fun,” said Byrd. “It’s about unity and teaching us how to work together for one common goal — and that’s to have a good time.”
The iconic court at Raymond Bush Playground, which was featured in the movie “Soul in the Hole,” won a free court renovation at the end of June. The court will soon receive new rims on the basketball hoops, a colorful paint job and court repairs.
Men Talk, a Brooklyn non-profit focused on empowering Black men in the community, came to the event to provide free food, t-shirts and financial literacy materials to participants.
The youth of Blue Angels Drumline performed for Community Night. Photo: Brianna Robles for BK Reader.
During the event, children got their faces painted, had a blast in a bouncy house and soaked police officers in the dunk tank. The night also featured touching performances from the Blue Angels Drumline and the NYPD dance team.
Several Brooklyn police officers, including those from the local 79th precinct on Tompkins Avenue in Bed-Stuy, attended the event to bond with the community.
Officer Sendy Diaz was gifted a plaque for his dedication to the neighborhood. (L-R) Inspector Gil, Sharmaine Byrd, Sendy Diaz, Deputy Chief Scott Henderson. Photo: Brianna Robles for BK Reader.
During the memorial ceremony for Gardner, NYPD Deputy Chief Scott Henderson gave a heartwarming speech about reclaiming the park as a safe, family-friendly haven for current and future generations. As he recalled the night of the crime scene, the crowd — which included Gardner's friends and family — stood in silence, some in tears.
“There are some defining moments you remember and that stick with you in your career,” Henderson told the crowd. “There are people who think they own this park. There are people who think this is gang territory. We are here today to remind them that this is a community park. This belongs to us. We took back this park and we’re not giving it back.”
The group released dozens of white balloons into the air after the speech.
The night ended in a basketball tournament between NYPD officers and folks who regularly play at the court.
“As a police department, we really become a part of the community,” Officer Eric Morales of the Community Affairs Bureau told BK Reader. “It’s all about building that relationship as a whole, as a community. We can prevent further tragedies from happening.”
