NEW YORK − A small, unexpected fish pond, created from a leaking fire hydrant, flourished for weeks on a sidewalk in Brooklyn, attracting a lot of attention on social media, before it was quickly covered up by city workers.

The “Bed-Stuy Aquarium” occupied the space of just one sidewalk square but gained a substantial following among residents of Bedford-Stuyvesant, visitors, and Instagram users, who noted it as a “vibe, not a park.”

For nearly three months, the pond’s water was refreshed from the hydrant at its center, while locals contributed goldfish, signs, and even seats.

By last week, the aquarium had persisted for almost three months amidst the brownstones, bodegas, schools, eateries, and the hustle and bustle of city life. The aquarium had evolved into a piece of urban street art.

There were worries about the fish’s survival when winter arrived. Floyd Washington, a co-creator of the pond, informed YSL News that he and the others intended to close the pond during winter and reopen it in the spring and summer.

However, the city’s Department of Environmental Protection had different plans. The agency had consistently labeled the leaking hydrant as a safety concern. On Friday, the “aquarium” was filled in with concrete.

“This helps us ensure New Yorkers are safe by preventing the previously leaking fire hydrant from freezing and becoming non-functional,” the agency stated in a message to local media, adding that they would collaborate with community members to propose an alternative for the “spontaneous gem.”

The aquarium generated a lot of attention on social platforms while it was active, and continued to do so even after it was removed.

James Crugnale, a Brooklyn resident for over ten years, referred to the aquarium as a local symbol that “brought happiness” to those in the community.

“People of all ages would visit from all over Brooklyn just to appreciate the small pond,” Crugnale shared with YSL News. “I value places that offer a tranquil escape from the concrete surroundings, much like this one did.”

Crugnale expressed his admiration for the “whimsy” such spaces provide.

“We don’t need more banks; we need additional communal areas like this,” he remarked.

Another New Yorker, Daphne Frias, commented on X, saying, “Our mayor may be ineffective and our public transit a mess, but sure, let’s get rid of the #BedStuyAquarium, a sweet community initiative that added a bit of joy to people’s lives.”

Conversely, some were pleased to see it go. One comment on Reddit stated that keeping the aquarium operational constituted “outright animal abuse. I can’t comprehend why people supported it for this long.”