The Forgotten Waterfront Path Behind Home Depot Let’s Bring It Back

Red dotted line = Waterfront rehab project

Old Plans & Schemes

Southern Brooklyn has no shortage of natural beauty. From the tranquil marshes of Calvert Vaux Park to the breezy waterfront views of Gravesend Bay, it’s easy to forget just how close we are to nature, until a locked gate or crumbling pathway reminds us that some of our green spaces have been quietly lost over time.

One such space sits just behind the Home Depot off Cropsey Avenue. Longtime residents will remember that this waterfront path once connected seamlessly to Calvert Vaux Park, offering a scenic route for walkers, birdwatchers, cyclists, and families seeking a peaceful escape. It wasn’t just a trail, it was a connector, both physically and emotionally, tying our community to the water.

But over the years, the path has deteriorated. Locked gates have kept people out. Overgrowth, trash, and disrepair have taken hold. The recession of 2008 stalled a promising vision that had already been mapped out in a NYC planning study: a revitalized “Home Depot Waterfront Link” that would integrate this trail into the larger Brooklyn Greenway.

And then? Nothing. The plans went quiet.

Now, more than a decade later, the need and opportunity is clearer than ever.

As Calvert Vaux Park sees renewed activity from families, hikers, and cyclists, we find ourselves naturally drawn back to the edges. But the path remains closed. The gates go up, down, and back up again. Questions remain: Did Home Depot receive a commitment or tax incentive to maintain this area? Is there an agreement that’s been forgotten? More importantly, how can we fix it?

A Community-Driven Comeback

This isn’t just about reclaiming a path. It’s about reconnecting neighborhoods, revitalizing underused public land, and offering more sustainable, safe ways to move through the city. Reopening this link would mean:

  • New greenway access without forcing cyclists or pedestrians into dangerous Cropsey Avenue traffic

  • An environmental win as we restore the natural shoreline

  • Public-private collaboration where local stakeholders (yes, even Home Depot) can become community champions

  • A chance to build something lasting like a modest pedestrian/cyclist bridge over Coney Island Creek that finally connects Shore Parkway to Coney Island

This could be a rare win for residents, the Parks Department, political offices, and even businesses like Home Depot. The PR value alone—shovels in hand, revitalizing a waterfront with neighbors—writes itself.

We’re ready to roll up our sleeves. Pineapple Ride is more than a cycling group, it’s a growing force for community building, environmental stewardship, and urban transformation. If allowed, we’ll organize a clean-up tomorrow. Just give us the green light.

Let’s Make This Happen

We’ve got photos. We’ve got the city’s old planning documents. We’ve got people who care. What we need now is momentum. Political, institutional, and community-wide.

If you’ve ever walked this path, or hoped to, we invite you to join us. Reach out. Share this post. Tag your local council members. Tag @HomeDepot. And if you’re a policymaker, planner, or advocate: let’s talk. The groundwork is already there. We just need to pick up the tools.
Let’s bring this path back to life together.

Path entrance is inside the Home Depot Parking lot

Path entrance on Bay 53rd / w22nd St, adjacent to Six Diamonds baseball fields

Mirza Medunjanin