NEW YORK − A tiny, makeshift fish pond fed by a leaky fire hydrant thrived for weeks on a Brooklyn sidewalk while drawing intense social media buzz only to be unceremoniously paved over by the city.
The “Bed-Stuy Aquarium” was the size of a single sidewalk square but drew a big following among members of the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood, tourists and followers on Instagram , where it is described as a “vibe, not a park.”
For almost three months the vibe’s water was replenished from the hydrant at its center while locals provided goldfish, signs and even seating.
By last week, the aquarium had survived for almost three months amid the brownstones , bodegas , schools, restaurants and city bustle. The aquarium had morphed into urban street architecture.
There were concerns about the fate of the fish when winter hit the city. Floyd Washington, one of the creators of the pond, told USA TODAY he and the other creators planned to shut down the pond in winter and reopen it every spring and summer.