Eagle Scout Service Project: Brian's Shore Road Bench Restoration

When and Where

When: November 14, 2026
Timeline: 8:00 am — 4:00 pm

Location: Shore Road Park / 79th Street entrance, by the basketball court

Life Scout Brian of Troop 23 is leading his Eagle Scout Service Project in Bay Ridge's Shore Road Park. Twenty wooden benches along Shore Road between 79th and 80th Streets get cleaned, prepared and repainted, and about 220 feet of drainage channel by the 79th Street entrance gets cleared so rainwater can reach the drain again. The work is done with NYC Parks, and Brian plans, organizes and leads it himself: that is what an Eagle project is for.

He needs 20 to 25 helpers: Scouts and their parents, brothers, sisters and friends, Scouts from other troops, and alumni who have aged out. No experience is needed. Brian gives each person a job, and before the work starts every crew is shown its tools and how to use them safely.

Project at a Glance

• Project lead: Brian, Life Scout, Troop 23 Brooklyn
• Beneficiary: NYC Parks, Shore Road Park
• Where: Shore Road Park at 79th Street, Bay Ridge, Brooklyn
• Scope: 20 benches repainted; about 220 feet of drainage channel cleared
• Rain date: Sunday, November 15
• Helpers needed: 20 to 25
• Project coach: Tom Kramer, Troop Committee Chair

What We'll Do

The work splits into two crews that run side by side.

• Bench crew. Twenty benches line Shore Road between 79th and 80th Streets. Each one is cleaned and sanded to take off loose, flaking paint, patched with wood filler where the wood has small cracks, primed where it needs it, and given a fresh coat of exterior paint. Tape and drop cloths keep the paint where it belongs; caution tape and Wet Paint signs keep passers-by off the benches until they dry.
• Drainage crew. About 220 feet of concrete channel runs through the grass between the basketball court and the walkway. Leaves, mud and debris come out with shovels, rakes and brooms, go into heavy-duty bags, and ride by wheelbarrow to a pile that is picked up afterwards.

Heavy bags of mud go to those who can carry them, and there is a job for everyone else: taping, painting, raking, sweeping, bagging.

Why It Matters

Years of weather and daily use have left the benches on this stretch of Shore Road faded and peeling, and paint is what keeps the wood from the weather. A new coat makes them look cared for and protects them for the seasons ahead. The drainage channel beside the basketball court has filled with leaves and mud, so rain no longer flows to the drain: it pools, and the area turns muddy and slippery. Clearing it makes the corner by the 79th Street entrance cleaner and safer for everyone who walks, plays or sits there.

The service project is the last big requirement before the rank of Eagle Scout. The Scout finds a need, works out the project with the organization it serves, gets his plan approved by the troop, the beneficiary and the council district, and then leads the people who carry it out. Troop 23 Scouts have done many of theirs in the parks of Bay Ridge, and a year earlier Ty's Eagle project worked this same corner of Shore Road Park. See past Eagle projects and the troop's Eagle Scouts.

What to Wear and Bring

• Scouts: Class B, the troop T-shirt
• Clothes that can take paint and mud
• Sturdy closed-toe shoes with a good grip: the channel is slippery with wet leaves and mud
• Your own work gloves, if you have them
• Warm layers for a November day by the water

Tools, paint, brushes, bags, disposable gloves, eye protection and a first-aid kit are part of the project, supplied by Brian's family and NYC Parks. Brian's family also provides breakfast, lunch and drinks. If you have an allergy, to food, bees or anything else, let Brian know ahead of time and bring your own medication.

Safety

• Tools. Every tool is checked before use, each crew is shown how to use its tools, and adults supervise the work.
• Lifting. Heavy loads are split into smaller ones and moved by wheelbarrow; everyone is shown how to lift without straining the back.
• Footing. The channel can be slippery. Watch your step, and keep tools and buckets off the walkways.
• Hidden debris. Mud in the channel can hide broken glass and sharp objects. Wear gloves, never reach blindly into a pile, and leave anything dangerous to an adult.
• Paint. Wear gloves, keep paint off your skin and out of your eyes, and follow the instructions on the can.
• Weather. If it rains, the project may move to Brian's rain date, Sunday, November 15; wet weather also keeps the paint from drying.

The first-aid kit sits on a table everyone can reach. Report any injury or anything unsafe to Brian or an adult right away.

How to Help

Adults, Scouts, family and friends are all welcome, and no special skills are needed.

Work runs from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. How to let Brian know you are coming will be posted here before project day.

Scouts earn service hours for the time they put in; the troop records who came after the project.

Advancement Goals

Helping on the project counts toward these requirements:

Life

4. While a Star Scout, participate in six hours of service through one or more service projects approved by your Scoutmaster

Star

4. While a First Class Scout, participate in six hours of service through one or more service projects approved by your Scoutmaster