Visitors to Prospect Park may notice a giant orange machine floating on the iconic lake.
The device is an aquatic weed harvester, used to keep the lake water clean, the Prospect Park Alliance said.
The machine, which was introduced in June, has officially been affixed with its new name: “The Floating Goat.”
The name was chosen through a contest that asked community members for submissions. “The Floating Goat” was submitted by 8-year-old Jack Costas and was inspired by the goat herd that was brought to Prospect Park in 2016 and 2017 to help clear invasive weeds in the woodlands.
The $140,000 weed harvester replaced an old one that was in use for years, until 2014. It was funded by City Council members Brad Lander and Mathieu Eugene through the participatory budgeting process, which allowed residents to vote on projects they wanted to see funded.
The machine sucks up invasive weeds in the lake, such as floating water primrose and duckweed.
