Brooklyn Park Renamed in Honor of Adam Yauch

On Friday, May 3, Brooklyn Parks Commissioner Kevin Jeffrey joined Borough President Marty Markowitz; Council Member Stephen Levin; Member of the Beastie Boys, Adam Horovitz; parents of Adam Yauch, Noel and Frances Yauch, and members of the Yauch family; and John Silva of Silva Artist Management, to rename Palmetto Playground in Brooklyn Heights in honor of musician and Brooklyn native, Adam Yauch.

"Our city's parks play a fundamental role in the social and physical development of young New Yorkers," said Commissioner Jeffrey. "Adam Yauch grew up playing in Palmetto Playground, and we are very proud to honor his memory by naming this park after hiM. Adam's legacy - in the music business and beyond - will touch the lives of New Yorkers and visitors to Brooklyn Heights for years to come."

"Bravo to Parks Department Commissioner Veronica White and Brooklyn Commissioner Kevin Jeffrey for renaming Palmetto Playground in honor of one of Brooklyn's most culturally influential sons, Adam 'MCA' Yauch," said Borough President Markowitz. "And, to Yauch's fellow Beastie Boys Adam 'Ad-Rock' Horovitz, Mike 'Mike D' Diamond and to the Yauch family, especially 'all the mothers and sisters and the wives and friends/ I want to offer my love and respect to the end.' Brooklyn has a great tradition of producing some of the world's most influential and gifted musicians, and Adam Yauch, who, like me, was 'Born and bred, Brooklyn U.S.A.' was ahead of the curve, as both a talented artist who helped to change the face of music and, perhaps even more importantly, as an always socially conscious, genuinely good person-'Too sweet to be sour, too nice to be mean.' So now we rename Adam Yauch playground-for a Brooklyn Boy and king of sound-his impact on our city was quite profound-best of the best, pound for pound."

"Adam Yauch represents Brooklyn and New York in so many ways, for my generation and many others," said Senator Daniel Squadron, who passed a Senate resolution in Yauch's honor last year. "The music and message of the Beastie Boys evolved over the years -- but they can't, won't, don't stop changing the face of hip-hop, of music, and of our culture. Thank you to the Yauch family, to Ad-Rock and Mike D, and to the Parks Department. We know that MCA's legacy - from his music and its imprint on New York to his social activism -- will continue to live on here at Adam Yauch Park, throughout our city, and across the globe."

"It is a true honor to celebrate the re-naming of Palmetto Park to Adam Yauch Park," said Council Member Stephen Levin. "Adam Yauch made a lasting impact on our community not only with his music, but with his work in social justice and activism. I want to thank the Yauch family, as well as Beastie Boy Adam Horovitz, for joining us today to celebrate Adam's life and honor his contributions to society. Although Adam Yauch passed away at the young age of 47, his legacy will live on here in Brooklyn, and throughout the world."

A pioneer in the worlds of music, social activism and film, Adam Yauch was not only a founding member of Beastie Boys, but also singlehandedly established the Milarepa Fund that produced the Tibetan Freedom Concert benefits, and created the film production and distribution company Oscilloscope Laboratories.

Born in Brooklyn, Yauch played in State Street Park (later renamed Palmetto Playground) as a child. The park was the setting for some of Yauch and his family's fondest memories, including his father Noel teaching him to ride a bike. Adam later taught himself to play bass in high school, forming the band that would become known the world over as Beastie Boys. With fellow members Michael "Mike D" Diamond and Adam "Adrock" Horovitz, Beastie Boys would go on to sell over 40 million records, release four #1 albums-including the first hip hop album ever to top the Billboard 200, the band's 1986 debut full length, Licensed To Ill-win three Grammys, and the MTV Video Vanguard Lifetime Achievement award. Beastie Boys were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in April, with Diamond and Horovitz reading an acceptance speech on behalf of Yauch, who was unable to attend.

Yauch passed away May 4, 2012 after a near-three-year battle with cancer. He was 47 years old.

Adam Yauch Park (formerly Palmetto Playground) is located in the southernmost portion of the neighborhood of Brooklyn Heights. The playground includes full and half basketball courts, a community garden, a greenhouse, a small fitness area, an open play space, drinking fountains, and a dog run. The site boasts a great variety of trees for a relatively small property. Silver linden (Tilia tomentosa), London planetree (Platanus x acerifolia), pin oak (Quercus palustris), sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua) ,and Norway maple trees (Acer platanoides) flourish in and around the playground.