BY ALISON GENDAR AND LISA L. COLANGELO DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
Flushing Meadows-Corona Park could be home to the new 110th Precinct stationhouse under an unusual proposal being weighed by city officials.
The stationhouse, which covers Corona, Elmhurst and parts of the park, is one of seven slated to be replaced in the coming years.
"While a suitable site has not yet been determined, the department has proposed that the new precinct be constructed in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park," Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly told the City Council during a budget hearing Monday. "This proposal is under review by the mayor's office and the Parks Department."
Flushing Meadows is ranked No. 2, just under Central Park, for the number of crimes in city parks. Advocates have long asked for a stronger police presence in the sprawling 1,255-acre park.
"I like the idea, but it's important that the footprint of the precinct doesn't impact on any usable parkland," said City Councilman Peter Vallone (D-Queens), who heads the Public Safety Committee.
But Geoffrey Croft of NYC Park Advocates called the proposal a "land grab."
"It's not as if they are saying they are going to assign more police to the park," said Croft. "They are just taking land for a municipal service."
1 comment:
I think this is an excellent idea. The park is big enough; whatever "footprint" this precinct takes up should not impinge too much on the overall acreage. What must be impressed on the NYPD and NYC officials is that the park is now "part and parcel" of what the precinct is responsible for. There must be assurances that there will be a definite increase in "police presence" IN the park as well as outside the park. It's time to make FM-CP the type of park the late David Oats envisioned it to be.
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