East Elmhurst's beloved boulder

From the Times Ledger:

Generations of children in East Elmhurst and Corona grew up with a giant boulder as an important part their lives. It’s where they played and fought and had tea parties and picnics. The youngsters used to bury their pets around it because they loved the Giant Rock and in later years they grew concerned for its future in the middle of the rapid development in and around LaGuardia Airport.

In 1980, a Crowne Plaza Hotel was to be built on the site and adults who were once the children who climbed on the boulder rallied around it fearing developers would destroy the big rock with explosives. Attempts were ineffective and the rock still bears scars of the attempted demolition.

Nearly 20 years later they returned to rally around the rock that was threatened by the construction of the Hampton Inn.

The 1,000-ton boulder, left behind by the glacier that created Long Island 12,000 years ago, became a centerpiece of the parking lot of the two hotels but it had a plaque calling it The Ditmars Boulevard Crowne Plaza Pet Rock after employees at the two hotels had a competition to name it.

Nearly half a year ago, the group addressed a letter to both hotels requesting the name be changed back to Giant Rock.

“We didn’t hear back so we put up a petition online,” Drew said. “But before we could tell them about it we got a letter from them saying they wanted to rededicate it.”

Vivian Callendar and Deborah Tyson, two principal founding members of the Corona-East Elmhurst Historical Preservation Society were thrilled with the group’s success.

My Parents moved from Harlem to Corona and it was a very big deal in 1927,” Callendar said. “When you got out of Harlem this was like the country and this is where we all played together, whether you were from Corona or East Elmhurst.”

Rock climbing gym opens in spite of bribery charge

From LIC Post:

The owner of the Cliffs at LIC, a gigantic indoor rock-climbing center located on 44th Drive, reopened today after being shut down by the Building Dept. in October for not having a valid Certificate of Occupancy.

“I feel the world has come off my shoulders,” said Mike Wolfert, the owner of the Cliffs. “They put us through an intensive audit.”

The Cliffs had its grand opening last October, but was shut down just three weeks later. Therefore, Wolfert said, when he reopened today it felt like a grand opening once again – especially after the climbers began to scale the walls.

The Cliffs, located at 11-11 44th Drive, features more than 30,000 square feet of climbing space — including walls that tower up to 60-feet high. The center also has a gym, which is fully equipped with strength-training equipment and cardiovascular machines.

However, the past year has certainly been no party for Wolfert.

He had planned to open in May but complications with the building department — including his arrest for allegedly bribing a building inspector – delayed the opening.

However, when he did open in October an anonymous complaint was filed that alleged the Cliffs had violated city zoning laws. While that complaint was unfounded and dismissed, it led to a building inspector coming to the facility and reporting that he did not have a valid Certificate of Occupancy.

All of the delays — from May through March — have cost Wolfert about $500,000, he said.

So did he bribe the guy or what?

Natural rock a happy sight in Woodhaven

Before

Just as the snow melted, I walked my dog past the giant white rock on Whiting Square, only to discover that the hideous white paint had been stripped off.

It had been painted white for a few years, and vandals got a chance at defacing the rock with black spray paint a few weeks ago. Fortunately, someone decided that rather than to paint over the graffiti, stripping the white paint would be a better idea... And it is!

I think it looks great!

Now if only we could get some benches in the adjacent street row island.

Sincerely,

A Happy Woodhaven Resident