Jackson Heights Life

Keep cars out of our park? That’s crazy. The dealership has been there along with the garage side entrance for decades. The city can’t just close a street to cars and say to Koeppel and the Garden school that you can’t use the garages. The city would have to pay for such a taking of land use. The value of the property for commercial purposes is less. You also don’t know if the 77th street entrance would work.

Well, itsit, I guess I won’t see you there. But in a parkless place like here, every inch matters. And in this case, we’re also talking about safety for kids playing. It seems terribly misplaced that yet another car dealership in northern could win over the interest of an entire community. Especially when that dealership is brand new to the area and was renovated long after the plans for the park had been announced. Why didn’t the dealership owner think of that in his design? Why would the interest of one business get priority over the interests of thousands of neighbors? I hope you ponder and join us.

Well, itsit, I guess I won’t see you there. But in a parkless place like here, every inch matters. And in this case, we’re also talking about safety for kids playing. It seems terribly misplaced that yet another car dealership in northern could win over the interest of an entire community. Especially when that dealership is brand new to the area and was renovated long after the plans for the park had been announced. Why didn’t the dealership owner think of that in his design? Why would the interest of one business get priority over the interests of thousands of neighbors? I hope you ponder and join us.

 Yes, you may see me there. But here is a very likely scenario of why this situation came to be and who made what mistakes. There was a big reveal in Travers Park of the redesign (not sure of year), held by Danny Dromm's office and Parks. Very hard to hear as it was a day of loud planes flying overhead. Private conversations became the norm. During one of these, a few people said why doesn't the plan here show the inset that was agreed upon for the universal pre-K public kindergarden and the Garden School to access its garages and for the Toyota dealership to keep its repair business? The NYC Parks designer  (don't have name here) said this is only a preliminary drawing. We haven't gone to specifics yet and these issues will be addressed as they were part of the negotiation. And MY STRONG SUSPICION is that these updated plans were never done - or were never released. A mistake! But if they exist and someone finds them, this whole effort instantly goes up in smoke.

  And now people are saying "Look, the drawing says the whole street is ours" and other people who have been involved since the beginning are saying this was not the agreement. Let it go, as it is an undesirable space, not a significant hazard and in fact more of a benefit on balance regarding traffic on Northern Blvd than a liability. But a certain group is stuck here with only this issue and not the holistic goal of making the new Travers Park the best is can be for the whole community. Can anyone really justify for example that the heavily used basketball court has remained untouched through three! renovations in Travers in the past 12 years. Teens don't matter? That court is an embarrassment yet this group is obsessing some yards over on this street inset.

  So I strongly encourage people to move on and be mindful about making the whole park better for all and that square footage is not a priority in this case but a quality park for all is.

It's more dangerous to cross 34th ave to get to the park in the first place then to worry about that little stretch... or if you're coming from the other direction you'd have to cross northern which is an even bigger risk obviously.

I dunno, I just don't get the big deal.  If people want something to complain about how about that this "park" redesign with all the effort and money that went into it forgot about grass... you know ACTUAL green, not green painted asphalt.

What does 34th ave and grass have to do with the topic?  Totally beside the point but you do realize there is a sizable live-grass lawn in Travers Park.  Maybe you’re thinking about a different park, different part of the world?

 Protest called off?

  Am assuming that after the accident yesterday with a IS145 student getting pinned under a car while going
between double parked school buses that the protest would be cancelled. Who in their right mind would close
78th street to buses one block away from where overcrowded streets endangered this students life on 79th
street. It would be unconscionable.

 And for whoever here is running for political office, it would be a supremely bad idea. I hope this student is
recovering well and pray for him, his family and friends.

yeah, what better way to publicize the need for safety than cancelling a protest about safety.

 What missing here is the impact in redistributing to other streets what a safety valve this inset is. Show the congestion during school hours on 79th street, which led, in some part to a serious accident yesterday. Also show the impact on the two preK schools involved here. People are already stating on this site and others that we have a big supply of benches already.

 Full disclosure please, with all sides covered (79th & 77th sts) when this so vital? 100yds is added to the park.