After years of issues with garbage, dead wildlife and a lack of maintenance in Bowne Park, the green space in Flushing is set to receive a $2.45 million facelift.
Councilman Paul Vallone, whose district oversees the park, allocated $1.45 million in discretionary funds to upgrade the water fountains and filtration system in the pond of the nearly 12-acre park.
Residents complained in the past of the grimy pond, in which dead turtles reportedly have been found. The funds will also go to restore the asphalt pathways and lawn areas.
Borough President Melinda Katz will allocate an additional $1 million from her budget to the park to upgrade the playground, installing new play equipment with safety surfaces and benches.
“$2.45 million dollars will go a long way to restoring the natural resources of our precious park for wildlife, residents and neighborhood children alike,” said Robert Hanophy Jr., president of the Broadway-Flushing Homeowners Association.
13 comments:
The problem is that they will make it look beautiful and then it will not be maintained and 6 months later it will look like crap again.
Will 2.45 million really go a long way.
Queens is always big on capital budgets and sucks on maintenance.
The pol gets his headline and photo, the surrounding community thinks he is a fine fellow, and 4 years from now you are back at square one with the place looking like crap.
Then repeat. Hell, it ain't Vallone's money.
Its yours.
The pond would not be grimy if the parks department set the fountains to shoot higher, got rid of the weeping willows that hang over the water, stop people from feeding the local fauna and dredged it of garbage every autumn.
Also, add a fourth side to the basketball court fence so it can be locked at dark. The court and playground attract local vermin who trash the park at night. Nothing like taking a kid to the playground in the morning when it smells of urine and stale beer.
But the upgrade is welcome as long as the funds aren't wasted as they were with the $500,000 bocce court.
The pond in Bowne Park has been a problem for quite some time - as a long time resident of the area - I am thrilled hear of the renovation. The weeping willow trees are stunning - the third set since I was a child as the previous trees were downed in hurricanes past.
As far as the basketball courts being locked at night, I am totally against that. The park has long been a hang out for local teenagers in the evening - my generation being one of them - it is NOT as bad as the previous poster says it is AND it is of course maintained by park maintenance. What I am offended by are the CONTRACTORS who believe it to be ok to drop off their garbage on the outside of the park.
Weeping willows are beautiful but move them back from the pond. Their "leaves" contribute to the pond scum.
Also, the fact that the older kids hang by the b-ball courts doesn't mean it is OK to pee and drink illegally there. That is a causation of the ruination of said park.
Bowne Park needs a full time "Parkie" not part time workers who have no incentive to keep "Their" park in good condition.
while he is spending taxpyer $$$$, he should upgrade the 42 ave medians at 204 st. in bayside/auburndale .the curbs have been destroyed by commercial trucks , & P.S.130 school buses for many years. the buses are used to also bus the local children away ,while flushing main st. pupils (ANCHORS) take the seats.?????
What about providing ashtrays for the littering bocce ball players. That entire area is covered with their dirty cigarette butts.
The poster who wants to keep the basketball area locked because of messy teens should have been around in the 80s (and before the bocci courts) when every other person was dealing cocaine in there. I'll take a messy teen any day over that.
the Bowne Park B/B courts have to be increased .two baskets are not enough for the many young men who want to shoot hoops. it must be fenced in to keep the balls from rolling down hill to the street.
rims need all weather nets also.
I played when white men could jump.
Please instal a dunking stool so that corrupt pols can be punished by dunking them into the pond.
Developers' lobbyist Paul Vallone can be the first to be strapped into the dunking chair.
How many upgrades has this undergone already?
It's the people that use Bowne Park that need some upgrading.
So will Paul Vallone be putting his name on the upgraded bocce courts?
Mc Laughlin had his there. Better not use Vallone. You never know who is going to be indicted next.
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