Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Upcoming Event
The Newtown Historical Society presents:
History of the Flushing River
Water body separates Newtown and Flushing
Sergey Kadinsky
The Newtown Historical Society is proud to present "The History of the Flushing River" slideshow and lecture by journalist historian and licensed tour guide, Sergey Kadinsky.
He will discuss its geologic history, tributaries, development, the plans of the 1939 and 1964 World's Fairs and its future.
Date: Sunday, August 28th
Time: 2pm
Location: 1883 Stockholm Street, Ridgewood, Queens (in the Stockholm Street Historic District)
Cost: $10 for non-members, $5 for members
Space is limited! Please RSVP to newtownhistory [AT] gmail.com to reserve your spot.
Send us an email
Friday, July 8, 2011
Inept Parks Department Begins Work
Despite the local community board's outrage over a poorly thought-out fencing and lighting design for the Ridgewood Reservoir's perimeter, the Department of Parks and Recreation is proceeding with their plans.
Crime is up in parks citywide, yet NYC Park Commissioner Benepe and Queens Commissioner Dorothy Lewandowski think that leaving the 50 acre basins essentially wide open to anyone who wants to jump the fence and disappear into the forests below is a really good idea. Anyone with half a brain can figure out what is going to occur once all the 8 foot fences are removed. This blog has been documenting the travesties involved with the "community input" process and the parks department has been summarily ignoring the people from the surrounding neighborhoods. The removal of the protective fences marks the beginning of the end of the most unique habitat in all of New York City and a historically important landmark. When the first dead bodies are found in the basin and the city decides it would be best to raze the evolving forests and bogs, remember the name Dorothy Lewandowski as she is the city official who should be held responsible.
The following was just published in the Astoria Times:
Construction begins at Ridgewood Reservoir
By Joe Anuta
Thursday, July 7, 2011 10:57 AM EDT
Photo by Joe Anuta
Construction on the Ridgewood Reservoir is in full swing, which pleased some park-goers but continued to enrage community activists.
Nearly half of the path that winds around the parcel of wilderness is closed to the public as construction crews tear out sections of fence and cut down trees along the edge.
“It’s going to be beautiful, we’re very happy to be working on it,” said one of the construction workers from a Maspeth construction company, who won the contract bid to revamp the green space.
The company will be replacing some of the stone slabs on the edge of the reservoir, installing new lights around the inner circumference of the path and placing benches near especially scenic views. A path that cuts down the middle of the reservoir between two of the large basins was previously off limits, but will also be open to the public under the new plan.
The company will also be installing a ramp to allow disabled residents access to the reservoir.
But one contentious change will be the new fence that is set to replace the chain link barrier that currently surrounds the reservoir.
The new fence will be about 4 feet tall instead of the nearly 8-foot version and has generated friction between the city Parks Department and Community Board 5. Representatives from the board believe the fence is too short and would allow curious explorers unencumbered access to the nature preserve.
“I can step over a 4-foot fence,” said Steve Fiedler, chairman of the board’s Parks Committee. “We want a deterrent.”
People already slip into the reservoir through the dilapidated, porous fence to sleep, consume alcohol, do drugs or even stage paintball matches, he said.
“There is no security there, no cops,” Fiedler said. “It’s a free-for-all.”
But Parks said the shorter fence will allow visitors to actually see the foliage.
Residents were split on whether the shorter fence would be an improvement.
“I think a smaller one is better,” said resident Jose Estebec. “You can actually see everything.”
Kamesha Scott disagreed, saying a taller fence is needed to keep out adventurous kids.
“If you have the kids who want to explore, they’re better off keeping it higher,” she said.
The construction is set to be complete in next spring.
Reach reporter Joe Anuta by e-mail at januta@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4566.
Send us an email
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
More on St. Savior's "Park"
The following video from WPIX is just another chapter in the travesty at St. Savior's in Maspeth:
Send us an email
Monday, June 20, 2011
More Four Sparrow Marsh Documentation
Two justifications that the parks department has been using for possibly destroying part of an important wetland that is owned by the city are:
- Four Sparrow Marsh is not parkland
- The acreage that they want to give to developers is not part of Four Sparrow Marsh
Fortunately there is plenty of public documentation that contradicts their public statements. Below is a list of links to New York City Department of Parks and Recreation webpages and downloads with information relevant to Four Sparrow Marsh. The list also includes a few links from other city agencies. If the any of those links mysteriously disappear, let us know as we've saved all the downloads and created PDF files of the webpages:
List of Parks by Total Acreage
Explore Your Park, Find A Park, List of Parks
Explore Your Park - Four Sparrow Marsh
Explore Your Park - Four Sparrow Marsh Highlights
Explore Your Park - Four Sparrow Marsh Highlights 2
Explore Your Park - Four Sparrow Marsh Trip Planner
Natural Resource Group, Forever Wild, Four Sparrow Marsh Preserve
Explore Your Park - Four Sparrow Marsh Highlights, Invasive Phragmites
Explore Your Park - Four Sparrow Marsh Highlights, Salt Marshes in New York City Parks
Four Sparrow Marsh Forever Wild Map
About Parks - Divisions > Natural Resources Group, Forever Wild & Nature Preserve Sites
Natural Area Mapping and Inventory of Four Sparrow Marsh
Explore Your Park - Four Sparrow Marsh, Capital Projects
About Parks Divisions - Natural Resources Group & Natural Resources Group Publications
About Parks Divisions - Natural Resources Group & Restoration Sites, Brooklyn Restoration Sites
Explore Your Park - Four Sparrow Marsh & News, NRG Restoration and Avian Monitoring
Explore Your Park - Marine Park & News, NRG Restoration and Avian Monitoring
Natural Resources Group Forest Restoration Team 2000 Annual Report
Natural Resources Group Forest Restoration Team Spring 2002 Summary
2002 Annual Report City of New York Parks & Recreation Natural Resources Group Forest Restoration Team
2003 Annual Report Natural Resources Group Forest Restoration Team
Natural Resources Group Forest Restoration Team Spring 2003 Summary
Natural Resources Group Forest Restoration Team Spring 2004 Summary
Natural Resources Group Forest Restoration Team Fall 2007 Summary
Natural Resources Group Forest Restoration Team Planting Report Spring 2009
Overview Map NYC Parklands Open Spaces NWI Wetlands
Parks & Recreation 2002-2003 Biennial Report Eight Seasons of Progress
Recommendations for the Transfer of City-Owned Properties Containing Wetlands
MillionsTreesNYC
Jamaica Bay Watershed Protection Plan
New York City Comprehensive Waterfront Plan
Send us an email
Four Sparrow Marsh tour
NYC Wildflower Week
Botanical Tour of Four Sparrow Marsh
Sunday, June 26, 2011, 10 – 11:30 am
Location: Meet at the parking lot of the Toys R Us, 2875 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn
Guide: Matthew Wills, Naturalist and Blogger
Register for this event
Description: Four Sparrow Marsh in Mill Basin, Brooklyn is one of the last remaining salt marshes on the north shore of Jamaica Bay. The marsh provides critical filtration services for the bay and is habitat for numerous nesting and migratory bird species. Consisting of mudflat, salt marsh, upland meadow, and a sprinkling of deciduous trees, the Four Sparrow landscape hosts a mixture of native and invasive plant species. The marsh’s meadow is currently the site of a proposed retail center which threatens to degrade if not destroy this nearly unique corner of the city.
**********
Here is a short video that clearly illustrates how the parks department would be complicate in the theft of public lands for the use of a private developer. Note how the parks departments own documentation shows the ecological significance of Four Sparrow Marsh.
Four Sparrow Marsh Preserve Key
Monday, May 16, 2011
Queens Park Rally
The following is from our friends at the Newtown Historical Society:
**********
Dear all,
The last time we held a rally at the St. Saviour's site, it was 2008, and the historic church building was about to be razed. Our elected officials were not interested in supporting our effort to create a park there and neither was the Parks Department. Things were looking grim.
My, how things have changed in 3 years!
Today, the church is in storage, awaiting its new home. The Parks Department is in negotiations with the property owner in the hopes of coming to a purchase agreement. Our elected officials at every level of government are all on board with obtaining the site and converting it into a public park. They have secured enough funding for the City to start the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) required to take possession of the property. The only problem is that the City has been dragging its feet on starting this, and it may take up to 2 1/2 years for the City to obtain permission to purchase the property. We fear the developer will not wait that long and may either sell or develop the property in the meantime.
We will be therefore be hosting a rally calling on the City to initiate the ULURP process ASAP. We ask that you join us.
What: St. Saviour's park rally
Date: Saturday, May 21st, 2011
Time: 1pm
Place: 57th Road and 58th Street, Maspeth, Queens
Who: Local residents, elected officials and community groups
Please see attached flier.
(Fliers in Spanish and Polish may be accessed here.)
Thank you for your past support and I hope to see you next Saturday.
Christina Wilkinson
President
Newtown Historical Society
Send us an email
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
