PIX News
City Councilmember Costa Constantinides says he received a call from the Mayor’s office earlier week that made him angry.
Constantinides says he fought for the Astoria Houses Senior Center to receive half a million dollars in 2014 for renovations. Five years later, construction is still ongoing. But, instead of a grand reopening, Constantinides says the city plans to shut down the senior center over the summer.
“Now, Instead of celebrating what should be a fully renovated space for them, we're being told that it's going to close,” the councilman told PIX11's Monica Morales.
The reason given for the upcoming closure? Constantinides was told attendance is down.
“We have hundreds of seniors here who come by. We have a lunch program, they come and they do arts and crafts. [Sometimes] it's their only lunch,” said Joanne Parks, the director of the center.
Seniors like Brenda Pope were finding out about the plan to close the center for the first time Thursday.
“We look forward to [coming] to this center, because we have different activities. Most are come just to eat lunch, you know, because they are on a fixed income,” said Pope.
Constantinides says he fears more senior centers across the city will close, saying 3.1 million dollars is being cut from NYCHA in the mayor’s executive budget. A total of 12 senior centers could be impacted, according to the councilman.
“We're talking about a little more than three million dollars. The council has come in year after year to save this money. I know that I’m tired of the budget dance on this issue,” said Constantinides.
9 comments:
Costa needs to ask who wants this space now that it has been repaired... Follow the money...
Duh-blASSio has LOTS of taxpayer money to blow on illegals, who have no right to one red cent of ours. He uses taxpayer money to pay for his legal defense for his many indictments. He uses taxpayer money to send his highly UNqualified wife jetting around the country to "mental health seminars". But a senior center which gives seniors life-enhancing programs has to close for lack of $2M. Have we ever seen a more vile, corrupt piece of excrement than this guy? His best use would be for garden compost.
Sure-- a million here-- a million there-- 5-10-30-100 million here. It's only my (and your) money that is stolen from us in taxes. How about this-- cut it all. Make it all go away and leave people with their money to spend as they see fit.
What the Gov’t giveth the Gov’t taketh.
Wonder who all those Seniors voted for on Election Day.
Isn't the summer when people need the center the most? Warm enough to go out, too hot to stay out.
de Blasio message was clear: first illegal immigrants... So there you have it and there is no reason to sympathize with ..
Anonymous 2:
Good that you mentioned Chirlie. I was thinking of her and that billion now gone when I wrote the headline.
https://www.realdirect.com/e/4-25.ASTORIA-BOULEVARD.11102/
Too bad the seniors at this center aren't Illegals. Then the money would flow.
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