Perfect Weather for Brooklyn Bridge Park Run

Under a clear blue sky and perfect running conditions, more than 300 runners helped raise more than $20,000 at the 17^th Eileen C. Dugan Memorial 5K Run/Walk at Brooklyn Bridge Park on April 11, 2015.

The race honors longtime public servant, Eileen Dugan, a New York State Assemblymember from 1980 to 1996, whose vision, leadership and advocacy were instrumental in setting the stage for the creation of Brooklyn Bridge Park.

With the sun shining bright and bit of wind, runners made their way down the Brooklyn waterfront, racing through the newly renovated piers, with breathtaking views of the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges, the Manhattan skyline, and the harbor.

Dozens of St. Francis students and alumni participated in the race as runners and volunteers.

This was the fourth year Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy has partnered with St. Francis College and Brooklyn Bridge Park to host the race. All proceeds from the run support the Conservancy's free educational, cultural, and recreational programs in Brooklyn Bridge Park.

For 13 years (1997-2009), the Eileen C. Dugan Run/Walk was held on the streets of Carroll Gardens and Cobble Hill in early October. The event was organized by the Court Street Merchants Association. The Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy was pleased to re-introduce this local favorite in 2012 at its new home, Brooklyn Bridge Park.

The 18^th Dugan Run is already on the calendar for next year. Save the date for Saturday, April 16, 2016.

About Eileen C. Dugan
Eileen Dugan was born in Brooklyn on April 15, 1945. Throughout her full life of public service, many thousands of people were beneficiaries of her understanding, her compassion, and her knowledge of the value of government and communities working together. Eileen was a New York State Assemblywoman from 1980 to 1996. She was elected to represent the 52nd AD (Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Red Hook, Sunset Park, and Bay Ridge) for nine terms. In 1996, she passed away of breast cancer at the age of 51 just days after her last election campaign. Due to her early leadership and advocacy to create a public park on the Brooklyn waterfront, Eileen has been called the Godmother of Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy
The Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy has worked for over 25 years to bring Brooklyn Bridge Park to life. We started out as grassroots advocates, bringing together residents, government, and local supporters to transform an abandoned waterfront into the park you see today. Now an essential supporter, we work in partnership with Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation to ensure that the park reaches its full potential as a dynamic and vibrant public space for Brooklyn, New York City, and beyond. The Conservancy produces diverse and innovative programming for park visitors and cultivates volunteer and philanthropic support of this special place on the Brooklyn waterfront. Since 2000, more than 1,000,000 visitors have enjoyed the Conservancy’s free, public programs in Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Brooklyn Bridge Park
Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation, known as Brooklyn Bridge Park (BBP), is the not-for-profit entity responsible for the planning, construction, maintenance and operation of Brooklyn Bridge Park, an 85-acre sustainable waterfront park spanning 1.3 miles along Brooklyn’s East River shoreline. As steward of the park, BBP has transformed this previously deteriorated stretch of waterfront into a world-class park where the public can gather, play, relax and enjoy sweeping views of New York Harbor. The self-sustaining park was designed by the award-winning firm of Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Inc. and features expansive lawns, rolling hills, waterfront promenades, innovative playgrounds, a greenway, sports facilities and the popular Jane’s Carousel. BBP serves thousands of people on any given seasonal day, who come to picnic, walk their dog, play soccer, jog, bike or roller skate. Brooklyn Bridge Park is a signature public investment for the 21st Century and will be an enduring legacy for the communities, elected officials and public servants who made it happen.

St. Francis College, founded in 1859 by the Franciscan Brothers of Brooklyn, is located in Brooklyn Heights, N.Y. Since its founding, the College has pursued its Franciscan mission to provide an affordable, high-quality education to students from New York City’s five boroughs and beyond.

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St. Francis College, 180 Remsen Street, Brooklyn Heights, NY 11201
www.sfc.edu