Sunday, February 19, 2012
Bocce players can't figure out why new court is so expensive
From the Times Ledger:
The board voted to support the construction of a bocce court in Bowne Park, between 29th and 32nd avenues and 155th and 159th streets, but had reservations about the costs and timeline for the project.
The city Parks Department’s plan to add a new bocce court next to the one that already exists is slated to cost $507,000, which initially made board members scoff.
But Parks made it clear the money will also go toward refurbishing the old court, repaving the plaza around the courts and adding extra amenities, including benches and picnic tables, according to the department.
And in what CB 7 Chairman Gene Kelty said could be a potentially costly repair, Parks will add a ground fire hydrant to provide water for both the bocce courts and nearby vegetation.
“If anyone knows plumbing work and hydrants, it’s going to be costly,” he said. “It’s not just for a bocce court, there is other ancillary stuff here.”
Nevertheless, the board wanted to ensure Parks was spending the money wisely and asked the department for a detailed construction plan.
City Councilman Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone) also wanted to make sure that Parks did not waste any cash, since he partially funded the project.
“An extra bocce court will be a good thing for Bowne Park and I’m proud to have helped provide one,” he said in a statement. “But nothing comes cheap through city government. I’m pressing for Parks to make this happen as affordably as possible.”
Watch the video and ask yourself why a "state grant" was needed on top of $500K from the City budget for a bocce court. Notice how the guys playing can't seem to figure it out, either.
30 comments:
Why not ask how much is spent on basketball courts and soccer fields ?
When was the last bocce court built in N.Y.C. ?
This will be used by many people all year round. It's good for Bowne Park.
what was the actual Planyc cost for converting the playground to parks at I.S 25 (C.S.D.25).two spaces that no one uses.
and P.S.159 Q (C.S.D.26 ) poorly done and dangerous to the teens,in 2009.
taxpayer waste by nyc agencies should be investigated in this economic downturn. were they just "MAKE WORK " projects for public union employee's.
local C.P.B 's did not vote for these projects. Why ?
I hope they've budgeted some money for ashtrays.
The area around the court looks like the site of a ticker-tape parade there are so many butts. And don't forget all those crumpled cigarette packs. I counted about 25 the other morning.
The bocce and card players refuse to clean up after themselves. Their attitude is "F*ck you - I got mine!" I know them - they just take - never give back - and then whine about their bloated pensions, SS payments, and health benefits, while they chain-smoke!
Supposedly they are all millionaires - but their wives won't let their friends into the house. You know they don't smoke at home!
This is an outrageous waste of money considering that the parkies can't even clean the garbage out of the pond. Why not make the bocce players work for their toys!
Bocce court and all sports facilities and field no problem.
The problem is and has everyone scratching their head is $507,000 cost? Everyone knows a bocce court does not cost that at all and the add ons (READ:PORK) is why we don't have more bocce courts for that matter and why it take 3 years to build one. So save the Pork money and build a 1st class bocce court for $20K in every Park in Queens vs a cost of $507K for 1 court?
Come-on folks that's our money being tossed away to Parks Dept idiots who are lining their friends pockets for a kickback?
Of course Halloran pushed it through because he owes some favors to "some people" for getting him elected.
And it gives a place for the retired old "soldieris" (?) to hang out, play ball and swap stories about the good old days.
Is Queens Garden Center going to get the landscaping contract?
A I/2 million bucks?
WOW!
It's a lousy bocce lane plus a few picnic tables, etc.
Are they mixing gold dust into the concrete?
LOL!
Of course Gene Kelty knows about the "high cost" of installing a FDNY fire hydrant.
LOL!
Maybe the mob graveyard under court #1 is already all full up.
The courts at Francis Lewis Park cost over 1 mill each and they had to redo the benches due to the fact that they were too low almost touching the ground and when they were done there was no path to a from so when parks finally gets around to cutting the weeds its knee high at minimum.
At least these guys clean up and reprimand each other when one uses foul language even in Italian Croatian Greek and or Spanish.
This is Queens. Of course they're gonna "bocce" it up!!!
It seems to always be the same group of men playing there (almost never any women), and rarely any younger people (never any children) and they never invite people outside of their group to join, so it seems to be a very large sum of money spent for a fairly small, cliquish, group of people (who already have a pretty nice bocce court), at a time when the parks are starved for money for basic upkeep, and children are disproportionately obese.
While I think middle-aged and older people should certainly have parks made accessible for their needs, again, this seems to be serving a very small, select group of people, at they expense of everyone else.
You wanted it ,you got it.
so it seems to be a very large sum of money spent for a fairly small, cliquish, group of people (who already have a pretty nice bocce court), at a time when the parks are starved for money
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BINGO!!!
so it seems to be a very large sum of money spent for a fairly small, cliquish, group of people (who already have a pretty nice bocce court), at a time when the parks are starved for money
Well there are cliquish groups at Bocce - they tend to be Italian, Albanian or Slavic - this is a popular game in their homelands - however they don't want a 500K alley > they simply want to get games going.
Regardless of who monopolizes the alleys everyone can take their turn - if prevented then a cop can be called to discuss turns if that's what it takes. Or the Parks Dept just like tennis arrange for a annual license and court time reservations to get on the court - this is the very worst scenarios but at least if there is playing time disputes at a location - then this will resolve it.
there are only two basketball hoops at this location.although it is a FULL COURT, WHICH PREPS THE TEENS FOR A REAL GAME,lack of hoops excludes some teens. construct more hoops,with new unbeakable glass backboards.
LIN-SANITY,(N.Y.KNICKS) HAS ARRIVED.many Asian/American teens play with their neighbors teens locally.this is positive.
the councilman can get money for this?
i guess one can say that MOCKER HAS "BOCCE BALLS".
Parks are supposed to provide simple pleasures - outdoors, basketball hoops, greenery like dirt, grass trees and a couple of benches. Not 2.3 million for a toilet (get port-a-johnnys) or bocci court for 530k (clear and level dirt, buy chalk, provide a couple of rough timbers have players buy/bring bocci balls - all you need!
I say keep it simple stupid.
You think that anyone can just walk in and play?
LOL!
Has anyone tried to muscle in on an Albanian bocce player lately?
Try it and see what happens.
Your family's name will be added to their feud list for the next 100 years!
$500,000 is cheap to have bocce playing wiseguys present who will do a great job protecting Bowne Park.
What would it cost the NYPD to do the same with overtime pay?
Privatization...
the wave of the future!
I'm for it.
You can walk through the park at night without any worries about being mugged.
From the article...
"Gene Kelty said ...Parks will add a ground fire hydrant to provide water for both the bocce courts and nearby vegetation. If anyone knows plumbing work and hydrants, it’s going to be costly,” he said. “It’s not just for a bocce court, there is other ancillary stuff here.”
There is already a water spigget at the bocce courts and there is a park sprinkler for kids at the playground about one hundred feet away and these is a water source at the park house no more that forty feet away. Why does the city need to put in a hydrant for the courts and why do they need to water vegetation that will never appear? The so called vegetation is the height iof absurdity. The only vegetation in Bowne Park is trees and a couple of bushes. The last time the Parks department tried to vegetize the park it was at the pond end and the night crawlers threw the vegetation into the pond within a day or two of its planting. But then again, maybe Kelty will hire vegetative night time cops to protect and assure the growth of said veg so the bocce players may soothe their bad karma after losing a heavy bet on a bad roll by focusing on a colorful flowering visage.
From a comment...
"Regardless of who monopolizes the alleys everyone can take their turn - if prevented then a cop can be called to discuss turns if that's what it takes."
This has to be the most ridiculous comment I have ever read.
Ya can't get a cop from the 109th to do anything in North Flushing no less monitor and set a schedule of turns for playing bocce. Get freakin' real!
did not the N.Y.P.D. arrest the drug dealer in the MR.Softie truck,that parked at 160 street @ Bowne Park, a few years ago ?
wouldn't that be the 109th Pct.?
sports facilities at parks are usually a "first come first use "basis.
after a 10 basket half court game ,the losers sat and the next opponents competed. as in life ,winners stay on and losers go home.
my era did not give trophys for SHOWING UP,you had to win to get the reward.
we are a capitalist society,presently,that rewards winners.this may change soon if the socialist government in power has it's way.
"did not the N.Y.P.D. arrest the drug dealer in the MR.Softie truck,that parked at 160 street @ Bowne Park, a few years ago ?
wouldn't that be the 109th Pct.?"
Undercover officers, from the NYPD Queens Narcotics Unit mad the bust not the 109th officers.
This will be used by many people all year round. It's good for Bowne Park.
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Not really. You don't get to use a Bocce court unless you are a "friend of the family"
There were two Bocce courts put in at Francis Lewis Park and it is rumored that each court cost over $500 thousand for a total of over $1million not counting the new brick sidewalk constructed recently at taxpayers expense. Didn't Holloran also help one of his big donors, D'Malba budler, get $500 thousand for some boondoggle park near his office.
Didn't Holloran also help one of his big donors, D'Malba budler, get $500 thousand for some boondoggle park near his office.
the attention must be getting too hot it appears that the queens councilpersons are withholding the money promised and that D'Malba bundler has moved his wifes office out of the building shared w halloran and into another smaller location at double the rent
looks like they are putting a lil distance between each other before they finish raping the community
fyi boys itsa onlya gonna getta hotta
LOL!
Hey cop sucker...
the 109th PCT was probably getting payoffs from Bowne Park's "Mr. Softee" to operate all that time with impunity...until the drug activity became so blatant that the Queens Narcotic Division had to intercede!
Never report drug or prostitution activity to your local police precincts.
They're most likely in on it.
Though of Irish descent...
Halloran has been taken into the family business.
Is he now a "made" guy?
Surin' be gorra....mamma mia!
I'm a slightly built Korean man.
What's the likelihood that "the boys" will let me play bocce ball with them?
LOL!
Bowne Park Lanes...
where the old "wiseguys" meet to relive their past.
When will Dan Halloran's name be displayed on the metal locker where Brian Mc Laughlin's used to appear?
La bocce di morte!
As soon as "doofy" Dan's term is over we'll get a new councilman who represents his constituents
instead of the interests of organized - - - - -!
What's Dan's "wiseguy" handle
going to be...
"Don Dan"..."Dapper Dan"?
C'mon...help us out here.
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