Wednesday, March 28, 2007

A letter to Councilman Monserrate

Date: Wed 28 Mar 11:46:55 EDT 2007
From: Kevin Walsh
Subject: The "Real" Flushing Meadows
To: monserrate@council.nyc.ny.us

Dear Councilmember Monserrate:

I am Kevin Walsh, author of the book Forgotten New York (HarperCollins, 2006) and webmaster of the site on which it is based, www.forgotten-ny.com.

Many of my readers have reacted to a recent page I posted about the disgraceful conditions in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, including this forwarded message (see below). The park should be Queens' crown jewel, but its abandonment and neglect by the Parks Department is a shame.

Action is desperately needed in the park, which serves a vast area including Corona and Flushing. Please help make the necessary repairs happen.

Sincerely,

Kevin Walsh

-----Forwarded Message-----
From: Michael Texier
Sent: Mar 28, 2007 8:25 AM
To: Kevin Walsh
Subject: The Real Flushing Meadows

I just wanted to drop a note to tell you how great your posting on the real Flushing Meadows is. It's so good that you are helping to bring to light this forgotten treasure.

The World's Fairs represent an amazing time in New York City and it's tragic that the site is so neglected. I remember my incredible disappointment when after having read a story about the Fountain Of The Planets I went out to Flushing Meadows the following weekend for the first time hoping to see this incredible sight along with the other bits and pieces left over from the fairs. Seeing the sad remains was a total let down. Sometimes ruins can be grand, but in this case it is only decrepit.

I really hope your story gets picked up and more people realize what is being lost. Just because it isn't Central Park and it isn't in Manhattan doesn't mean we shouldn't care about something that is such an important piece of New York history.

Yours,
Mike Texier


Will the Councilman reply? We'll let you know.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I always find it amazing that the ruins of medieval architecture in Europe look a lot better preserved than that of our own here in Queens, which is only a few decades old.

Russ

Anonymous said...

The problem with most city parks is that we spend money to build them and very little money to maintain them. Before any new parks should be built we must make sure we can take care of the ones we already have. The problem that no one adresses is that tax dollars are needed to fund these parks. In one breath we cry our taxes are to high and the next words are we want more parks.

Anonymous said...

Again, increasing DOB inspectors, fines, etc would allow for better park maintenance without raising taxes. But why do that? That would hurt developers while not doing so would only hurt the average taxpayer.

Anonymous said...

Flushing Meadows Corona Park may go back to what it was originally if the decay and neglect are allowed to continue to proceed.....the great Corona Ash Dump!

Anonymous said...

Leave Councilmember Monserrate alone, why are you bugging him? He has enough to do in his district. Flushing Meadows Park looks good compared to his district. Have you seen that place?

Anonymous said...

An ex cop (like Monserrate) who goes into politics, in my opinion, is usualy to be highly suspect!

Anonymous said...

Yeah, wasn't Tom Manton an ex cop?

Did he flee the scene of a shooting in a bar (where the "perp" took Manton's service weapon to do the deed) retire and then get into politics???????

This rumor has been circulating for years. Has anyone got some enlightenment on this.....truth or rumor?????

Anonymous said...

I think that C.M. Monserrate represents the developers not the underdogs.....like a double agent!