But there's apparently money available to paint the Parks Department symbol onto the soccer field grass. Forget about making improvements that any park user can actually see or appreciate. Its' more important to show off to the people flying into Laguardia - who can't see what a disgrace the rest of the park has become.
So while the Fountain of the Planets (center) is left to decay into a rotten pool of filth (notice it is greener than the grass) it is surrounded by Parks Department symbols. How appropriate.These photos (from Google Earth) appear to be a year or so old. QC will try to find out if the symbols are still being maintained. Adrian - are you still misusing our tax dollars to show off like this?
13 comments:
Where is Pat (oh excuse me...Miss Patricia) Dolan's big mouth when it's needed on the sorry state of the park?
What the hell does that "Conservancy" really do?
Ben Haber (long time park advocate) is the only person I trust and respect in these matters.
Bravo Ben for all the great things you've done!
As for the Johnny-come-latelies....the big Bronx cheer!
Why does the top soccer field look so crappy? Is that the "separate-but-equal" field for the non-whites?
As a lifelong Forest Hills resident and regular user of he park, I don't understand the trashing of this park. Things can always be improved, but it is in better shape than it has ever been in my lifetime. The soccer fields get a tremendous amount of use by the surrounding communiuties, and really make the park look great. Probably the nicest fields of any park in the city. As for maintaining them, aren't they turf?
Best, Chris
Well Chris, I don't understand why the parks department allows the park to be trashed either. It's supposed to be Queens' flagship park and look at the condition of it. If that first field is turf then why does it look as though parts of it are devoid of grass?
They are waiting for the iron triangle to be redeveloped. Then they'll fix the park for the yuppies who move in. That's how things work in this city.
chris, the trashing comes because the people running the blog and the people commenting on the blog are some of the most miserable people I've ever seen on the tubes. Nothing anyone ever does is right, everyone building anything other than standard repairs to existing property is an evil developer, and they want things to be exactly as they remember them 40 years ago. A neighborhood becomes overcrowded because of the demand on housing, and these people whine about there not being enough services in the neighborhood. The city tries to upzone to accomodate the increased number of people in a neighborhood, and the city is destroying the character of a neighborhood.
Sweet christ, people, JUST FREAKING MOVE ALREADY.
A neighborhood becomes overcrowded because of the demand on housing, and these people whine about there not being enough services in the neighborhood. The city tries to upzone to accomodate the increased number of people in a neighborhood, and the city is destroying the character of a neighborhood.
Here we have some of the dumbest things ever said by a poster on this blog. Is it too much to ask for the city to increase services to accommodate an influx of people into a neighborhood?
Most of Queens is being downzoned to prevent overcrowding. The areas being upzoned are not yet overcrowded, but the upzoning will certainly affect the residents already living there. By that time, FH Guy might have traded in his condo in Forest Hills for a new high-rise in Greenpoint.
I don't whine about lack of services in my neighborhood. I get a bullhorn and stand outside city hall. That's the difference between someone who plans to live their life in Queens and someone who is only staying until they can afford something more appealing on the river.
I don't think it's so much to ask that our parks be well maintained and not look like they belong in a third world country. Thank you.
The soccer fileds do get a lot of use - keeping the fields in good shape is one thing, but that's no reason for parks to waste money to put THEIR SYMBOL on each filed while the rest of the park goes to hell.
If you think its in good shape, Chris, I don't think you're seing all of it.
Hi Chris,
We're trashing the lack of care of this park, not the park itself. Believe me - we LOVE this park too, so seing it neglected is painful.
Which parts are in better shape now than in recent memory? (and I'm asking seriously, not cricizing you). The decline in the last year was quite noticable to me. In past visits, I do not recall the missing railings, broken tiles and exposed wires - all legitimate safety concerns. I hope you will agree that this type of neglect is unacceptable.
That's why I get pissed when I see that Parks has spent money to plaster their own symbol on the fields (this costs some serious $$ weather it's grass or turf). This serves only the Parks Department, not the park user. In my book that is an unacceptable abuse.
Thanks.
Klaus said:
I lifted this copy from the Mayor's website Tax Relief:
“Because of New York City’s strong economy, tax revenues are running higher than expected, with an anticipated surplus of $3.9 billion in FY 2007. As the Mayor first announced in last week’s State of the City address, he intends to return $1 billion to the people of New York City in cuts to business, sales, and property taxes.”
The projected $3.9 billion surplus for FY 2007 only compounds the deplorable conditions that now exist in Flushing Meadow Park. The photographic evidence and many editorials on the neglect at this park vividly underscore the decay. In light of the facts, it is unconscionable that Mayor Bloomberg would talk about a surplus. This press release clearly shows how Mayor Bloomberg's mind is at odds with reality on the one hand he wants to raise the fine for dog owners who leave their dog’s droppings on the street to $250 while on the other hand his Parks Commissioner, Adrian Benepe, has allowed the dogs to run loose in City Parks and empty their bowels in the children’s play areas. He talks about only a ten-minute walk to a City Park but he can’t find the money in his $3.9 billion surplus to purchase the pristine site of Saint Saviours Church, a site with historical significance, nor would he even implement a land swap with the developer. Frankly, I believe he has an opportunity to show he is a better Mayor than these action show. He should put his ear to the ground and listen to the people thereby rejecting the bad advice of some of his advisors
Ever hear the phrase "Dog Shit Development"? Probably not because I just coined it!
That reference is to buiders who don't plan to live in the neighborhoods they're destroying.They feel free to poop all over us with oversized monstrosities which overstress our infrastructure.
They just "squat"....do their business and move on! There's no real planning.
The most visable evidence is the neglect of our Queens parkland.....where now , it appears, the various dog breeds are allowed to, similarly, "squat" do their business and move on!
Thank you,Parks Commissioner Benepe, for your callous indifference!
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