Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Oakland Lake to get a facelift

A beloved lakeside pathway in eastern Queens is slated to get a much-needed makeover after repeated flooding over the years has plunged it into disrepair.

The pathway that circles Oakland Lake - a spring-fed kettle lake in Oakland Gardens - had been a favored place of refuge for locals before it fell on hard times.


Cleanup coming for once-popular Oakland Lake pathway, hit by floods

The steep slopes surrounding the 20-foot-deep lake contain wetlands that overflow when it rains, causing erosion and making the area muddy and difficult to navigate, Egers said.

The city Parks Department and New Yorkers for Parks - an independent watchdog for city parks, beaches and playgrounds - are researching designs to alleviate the persistent flooding.

A landscape architecture firm revealed potential designs at a recent community meeting. These included elevated wood decking, flat steppingstones with spaces between them that act like sponges and permeable screens placed parallel to the walkway.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

They are building crap condos there, I wonder if the builders have a "sweet deal" in this with the zoning change.

Doubt they can ever stop the water, its underground springs from the bay all the way to Alley Pond.

The ramp clover leafs to the Cross Island have always been wet since they built the road

-Joe

Anonymous said...

More renovations???
I,ve seen them put the rocks in, take the rocks out, put the rocks in take the rocks out, put the rocks in take the rocks out.
Put plants in, take the plants out,put the plants in take the plants out, etc.etc.etc.
The had plans for a three story waterfall to help prevent the flooding and clean the lakes water.
The areas community groups put a stop to it.
They have spent more money on this lake over the years, its amazing.
What a waste

Anonymous said...

P.S.
That area has has some minor puddles after the rain for close to 40 years.
Yep, better spend at least another 20 million to fix that emergency. Dont want wet sneakers do we?

Anonymous said...

Read this......
http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/environment/20041111/7/1177
Thats right, they wanted to spend 160million dollars, thats not a misprint...160million
Google up "Oakland lake ravine project" or "Alley Creek Drainage project"
For decades they been discussing how to spend hundreds of millions so that guy wont get his sneakers wet.