Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Flushing Meadows garden named for David Oats

From the Queens Tribune:

A red-tailed hawk swooped low across the open space between the Queens Theatre in the Park and the Queens Museum. Bees buzzed, collecting pollen from the freshly planted flowers and shrubs that make up the newest addition to Flushing Meadows Corona Park – David’s Garden.

Created to honor David Oats, the long-time editor of the Queens Tribune and a steadfast advocate for his beloved Flushing Meadows Corona Park, the garden was dedicated Wednesday afternoon by local officials with Oats’ widow, friends and park advocates on hand.

Oats, who helmed the Tribune over parts of three decades, grew up near the park, and as a 12-year-old snuck in during construction of the 1964-65 World’s Fair. He was brought to City power broker Robert Moses to get a stern talking to, but instead the two struck up a friendship centered on the park, and for the rest of his life, Oats was dedicated to honoring Moses by ensuring the proper upkeep of their beloved patch of green land.

Oats spent four decades advocating for the protection and improvement of the borough’s parks. He was founder and president of the Flushing Meadows Corona Park World’s Fair Association, with Moses as its first chair.

5 comments:

-Joe said...

David Oats was a good man, one of the last of the Mohicans.
He should have been borough president or Mayor

georgetheatheist said...

Amen.

Anonymous said...

Any update (from anybody) on the fate of the NYS Pavilion? Any movement at all on this-- good, bad or otherwise? I ask because I haven't seen any talk in a couple years, and we know it ain't getting any fresher as the decades tick by.

Anonymous said...

garden named after Oats, meanwhile NYS Pavilion continues to crumble.

Anonymous said...

NYS Pavilion?
2 Guys started to paint it pro-bono.
They were told to start with the wall facing the new roller ring then were told F off after the grand opening media coverage photo ops.

One section of wall and mezzanine steel remains painted (adjacent the roller ring)
Now who can guess why ?