The Bed-Stuy Aquarium (also known as the Hancock Street Bed-Stuy Aquarium) is a makeshift goldfish pond located on a sidewalk in the Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn neighborhood of New York City. The pond, formed by a puddle from a leaky fire hydrant, garnered attention from locals and the press beginning at the time of its creation in August 2024. Local residents populated the shallow water with goldfish, transforming it into an unexpected community attraction. The project has since become the subject of both praise and criticism, with debates about animal welfare, urban beautification, and gentrification surrounding the installation.[1][2]
| Bed-Stuy Aquarium | |
|---|---|
 Residents rebuilt the aquarium next to the original fire hydrant. | |
| Location | Hancock Street and Tompkins Avenue, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York, USA |
| Coordinates | 40°40′59.9″N 73°56′38.6″W / 40.683306°N 73.944056°W |
| Type | Makeshift aquarium |
| Primary inflows | Leaking fire hydrant |
| Basin countries | USA |
| Built | July 30, 2024 |
| Construction engineer | Hajj-Malik Lovick (local resident) |
| Average depth | 2 inches (51 mm) |
| Settlements | New York City |
| Location | |
 | |
The Department of Environmental Protection paved over the space around the hydrant in the morning on 25 October 2024.[3] A new aquarium located next to the hydrant was built days later, replacing the original.[4]
Origins
editThe Bed-Stuy Aquarium was initiated in early August 2024 when Hajj-Malik Lovick, a lifelong resident of the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood, and his friend Je-Quan Irving, decided to transform a puddle into an aquarium. This puddle, formed by a leaky hydrant, was initially an eyesore, but the pair fortified its edges with bricks and stones and introduced about 100 goldfish, purchased for $16 from a local pet store.[5][6]
Community reception and criticism
editSince its inception, the Bed-Stuy Aquarium has drawn both praise and concern from residents and authorities. Many locals regard the pond as a public art project that has brought the community together, offering a space for neighbors to gather, converse, and enjoy a rare moment of tranquility in a bustling city.[7] Visitors from across the city and beyond have come to see the fish, contributing to the aquarium’s viral fame on social media.[8]
The pond has also raised concerns regarding the welfare of the fish. Veterinarian Benjamin Rosenbloom, founder of Wet Pet Vet, has voiced strong opposition to keeping goldfish in such conditions, calling it animal abuse due to the shallow depth, temperature fluctuations, and the presence of chlorinated water.[9]
The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has repeatedly shut off the hydrant feeding the pond due to concerns about water pressure and the risk of hindering firefighting operations. Despite these efforts, locals have reopened the hydrant to maintain the pond.[10]
Gentrification and social tensions
editThe Bed-Stuy Aquarium highlighted the broader social tensions surrounding gentrification in the neighborhood. Some long-term residents view the project as a symbol of unity and community resilience, while others, particularly newer residents, have raised concerns about animal welfare. In one notable incident, two residents attempted to remove some of the fish, citing cruelty, sparking a larger debate about the neighborhood’s changing dynamics.[11][12][13]
Plans for the future
editAs summer 2024 came to a close, the future of the Bed-Stuy Aquarium remained uncertain. The project’s creators have expressed their intent to keep the pond running and are fundraising to install a filtration system and plexiglass cover to sustain the fish during the colder months.[14] If the necessary funds cannot be raised, the fish will be relocated until the pond can reopen in the spring.[15]
References
edit- ^ Rosenthal, Nicole (2024-08-21). "NYC residents rally to keep goldfish swimming in hydrant puddle through winter as activists call it animal abuse". New York Post. New York Post. Retrieved 2024-09-23.
- ^ "Bed-Stuy Goldfish Pond". NBC New York. NBC. 2024-08-21. Retrieved 2024-09-23.
- ^ Wang, Esther; Robbins, Christopher (25 October 2024). "The City Just Paved Over the Bed-Stuy Aquarium". Hell Gate. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
- ^ Press • •, Philip Marcelo | The Associated (2024-11-01). "Beloved 'Bed-Stuy Aquarium' that started under leaky hydrant gets reborn in tree bed". NBC New York. Retrieved 2024-11-15.
- ^ Rosenthal, Nicole (2024-08-21). "NYC residents rally to keep goldfish swimming in hydrant puddle through winter as activists call it animal abuse". New York Post. New York Post. Retrieved 2024-09-23.
- ^ de Metz, Etienne (2024-08-27). "Brooklyn's fish pond of discord". Le Monde. Le Monde. Retrieved 2024-09-23.
- ^ Thornton, Claire (2024-08-21). "New York's sidewalk fish pond is still going strong". USA Today. USA Today. Retrieved 2024-09-23.
- ^ de Metz, Etienne (2024-08-27). "Brooklyn's fish pond of discord". Le Monde. Le Monde. Retrieved 2024-09-23.
- ^ Rosenthal, Nicole (2024-08-21). "NYC residents rally to keep goldfish swimming in hydrant puddle through winter as activists call it animal abuse". New York Post. New York Post. Retrieved 2024-09-23.
- ^ "Bed-Stuy Goldfish Pond". NBC New York. NBC. 2024-08-21. Retrieved 2024-09-23.
- ^ de Metz, Etienne (2024-08-27). "Brooklyn's fish pond of discord". Le Monde. Le Monde. Retrieved 2024-09-23.
- ^ Rosenthal, Nicole (2024-08-21). "NYC residents rally to keep goldfish swimming in hydrant puddle through winter as activists call it animal abuse". New York Post. New York Post. Retrieved 2024-09-23.
- ^ Maag, Christopher (9 August 2024). "Was the Great Brooklyn Goldfish Heist a Rescue? Or a Robbery?". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
- ^ "Bed-Stuy Goldfish Pond". NBC New York. NBC. 2024-08-21. Retrieved 2024-09-23.
- ^ Thornton, Claire (2024-08-21). "New York's sidewalk fish pond is still going strong". USA Today. USA Today. Retrieved 2024-09-23.