Astoria Park potties have been contaminating the East River since the '30s

From QNS.com:

Parents were dismayed earlier this month when they realized that the bathrooms in Astoria Park’s Charybdis Playground would be closed for a second summer due to plumbing problems.

City workers discovered last spring that sewage from the playground and Astoria pool bathrooms had been seeping into the East River since the 1930’s, according to Queens Parks Commissioner Dorothy Lewandowski.

The discovery was made when construction of a new amphitheater began at the park’s neglected diving pool. Designers working on the project found that pipes from the playground and pool concession were not connected to city pipes, Lewandowski said at the monthly Astoria Parks Alliance meeting on Tuesday.

“The pool and playground were built in the 1930s at a time when people were unfortunately not as environmentally conscious as we are now,” a spokesperson for the Parks Department said.

The Parks Department brought in portable toilets to Charybdis Playground last summer and will do the same this summer. The new bathrooms are not expected to be completed until 2019. Bathrooms at the pool were fixed to ensure the pool could operate last summer, the spokesperson said.

At least Little Bay Park finally got their new potties.

Little Bay Park's parking lot expanded

From the Queens Courier:

The parking lot at Little Bay Park in Whitestone can fit nearly 100 more vehicles after being expanded as part of a $6.659 million reconstruction project of the park’s amenities.

Public officials and Parks Department representatives were on hand to celebrate the ribbon cutting of the park, and classic cars were on display as part of the event. The new parking lot was expanded to include 224 spaces, 99 more than were previously there.

Green infrastructure was also added for increased stormwater management.

Twenty-nine new retention tanks will capture and manage all of the site’s stormwater runoff, eventually releasing it back into the ground to minimize any strain on the city’s stormwater sewage system. Bioswales, or raised beds of soil and plants meant to capture and filter rainwater into the ground, were also installed above the retention tanks and planted with perennials, grasses, trees and shrubs.

The project was funded through $3.65 million allocated by the mayor, $720,000 from the City Council and $2.016 million in federal grants. Although work on the comfort station was delayed due to bad weather, construction is now underway and scheduled for completion this fall.

Little Bay crapper on hold again

From the Queens Courier:

The completion of Little Bay Park’s comfort station is being postponed yet again, officials said.

The Parks Department said the most recent delay was due to a harsh winter and an unusually high amount of soil that had to be removed from the construction site.

The new deadline for completion is set for next spring and, once finished, it will end a project that has sputtered along for a decade.

Trash can overflow at Little Bay Dog Run

"This is the garbage pail next to the Little Bay Dog Run – it’s looked like this for several days now! And the hose DISAPPEARED the very day the DPR put down some new, terribly sharp, gravelly sand - really nice move considering that there’s NO SHADE in the entire run.

It’s a pity that so much thought and consideration (not to mention money!) goes into the design and maintenance of the bocce courts and so little into the extremely few, shitty, under-sized and overcrowded dog runs in Queens!

Dogs may not vote but their owners do!" - Flooshing Rezident

Little Bay Park soccer fields need work

Dear Parks Department,

Attached are photos of the Little Bay soccer fields. As you are aware, the CYO uses these fields for soccer programs that benefit the children of the surrounding communities. We have been trying for years to get these fields repaired and or replaced, let alone maintained.

Several years ago the fields were plagued with contaminated soil (placed there by the Parks Department in an attempt to raise the level of the field) which contained dirty diapers, used syringes, as well as other contaminants. Last year, we had to deal with large rocks and pockets of holes all over the fields. Now this! We understand their is money to replace at least one field if not both. In the interim, this is what our community and our children have to deal with. Your assistance in re-mediating this field ASAP would be greatly appreciated. As you are aware soccer season is fast approaching and practices have already been scheduled.

Mind you, this is a soccer field that is scheduled to be used by over 600 community children beginning this week. The wood chips and the tire groves that are over 6 inches deep should not be here.

Thank you,
Alfredo Centola
Malba Gardens Civic Association
Community Activist

Little Bay crappers should be completed on time

From Bayside Patch:

Construction on the long-awaited comfort station at Little Bay Park is progressing and remains on schedule for completion by the fall of 2014, state Sen. Tony Avella, D-Bayside, said.

The contractor has obtained the required permits from the city’s Department of Buildings and excavation for the building footing has begun, according to the city’s Department of Parks.

The $5 million project has been in the works for eight years.

The comfort station will include a new public restroom and an expanded 224-car parking lot with bioswales to absorb runoff.

Little Bay Park construction stalled

Dear Community,

Many of you have noticed that work on the Little Bay Park Comfort Station and parking lot expansion have come to a grinding halt. That's not completely true because in actuality construction never began.

Initial inquiries to the Department of Parks & Recreation were met with the sounds of silence. When the Parks Department did respond they would deny the existence of a problem. They even went so far as to make the ludicrous claim that work was taking place but it just happened to be at times when no one was nearby to view the progress.

As is so often the case, the story has once again taken a new turn. A spokesperson for the Parks Department now reports that work was delayed because the contractor needed to obtain the proper construction permits. What this means, if it's accurate, is that a contractor hired by the Parks Department fenced off a large area of parkland and moved dirt and large pieces of construction equipment onto the worksite without have all the permits in place. Would anyone reading this email allow a contractor they had hired to perform in such a reckless and irresponsible manner? I don't think so.

Individuals employed by the Parks Department are dedicated and hard working. However, incidents like the Little Bay Park fiasco emphasize the need for greater oversight. Hopefully a new mayor will bring about much needed change.

Sincerely
Warren Schreiber

More path problems at Little Bay Park

"It seems Parks Dept is flip-flopping on leaving a temporary Bike/Pedestrian path by Fort Totten's Little Bay Park "Comfort station construction project. Last weekend they opened up the fence on both sides so the path was completely usable. But I went today and its all closed up again. Can we talk to Parks; I was told Mike Agnella was in charge there of that park. Or give me the keys to the truck, I'll lay down some asphalt over the grass, as temp path.

At least they put up a sign on the fence by the 212 street side of the parking lot explaining what will be built AND, "Scheduled Completion: Fall 2014".

That's 2 complete seasons! If they leave it with no access from one side to the other, without risking one's life tangling with cars on the CIP entrance ramp!" - Upset in Bayside

Crapper for Little Bay Park a long time coming

From the Times Ledger:

Residents of northeast Queens took some comfort in hearing that one long-awaited project at Little Bay Park would be moving forward soon.

In an e-mail to his community last week, Bay Terrace Community Alliance President Warren Schreiber said he was cautiously optimistic to report the city Parks Departments’ intention of breaking ground on a new comfort station at Little Bay Park in March.

“I am hopeful, but also skeptical,” Schreiber said. “I just don’t want to see the community disappointed again if they come up with another reason why the project cannot move forward.”

According to a Parks spokesman, the project should be finished by fall 2014 and will include a new comfort station, trees, plantings, and an expanded 100-car parking lot equipped with the ability to clean and absorb storm water runoff, reducing the burden on the area’s drains. The bidding process for the project is nearly finished and the project’s contracts are awarded, or soon to be awarded, the spokesman said.

Photo from Bayside Patch

Little Bay Park crapper bids due

From Bayside Patch:

The city's Department of Parks and Recreation has begun the bidding process for the construction of a comfort station at Little Bay Park for which Bayside leaders have been calling for seven years, state Sen. Tony Avella, D-Bayside, said.

The agency will pick and vet the winning bidder and construction is expected to begin by the end of the year, the senator said.

The senator secured $1 million for the project four years ago when he was a member of the City Council. U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman, D-Bayside, also brought in funding for the project, which also involved expanding a parking lot at the park.

The Bay Terrace Community Alliance and Avella held a press conference last year during which they called on the city to get the project underway.

Still no crapper at Little Bay Park

From Bayside Patch:

Neighborhood activists have become increasingly frustrated with the NYC Parks Dept., because though $1.3 million dollars was allocated to build to build permanent washrooms in 2005 by then Councilman Tony Avella, D-Bayside, that money has not been put to use.An additional $4.12 million in Congressional funds from Congressman Gary Ackerman, D-Bayside, for the purpose of expanding parking and to reconstruct an overpass near the entrance, was bundled with the bathroom funds, and also goes unused since it was allocated in 2004.Last year, following inquiries by community members, NYC Comptroller John Liu did an audit, revealing that the Parks Dept. sometimes did not renew contracts, or offer them for contractor bidding in a timely fashion, though the Parks Dept. said they were not culpable.The Parks Dept. had said that the replacement of porta potties—which are not always present at the park—with permanent bathrooms, is tied up with the approval of other agencies, like the Dept. of Environmental Protection.The group that wants to install the new dock, which would be used for ecological education for kids, purports to have gotten fairly quick permission from the DEP to go ahead with their project.

Parks pilfered project cash

From the Times Ledger:

In April 2004, local papers reported details of a $4.12 million federal transportation allocation that had been secured by U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-Bayside).

Funds included $1 million for the reconstruction and expansion of the Little Bay parking lot and $3.2 million to reconstruct the Cross Island Parkway Bridge overpass at 212th Street. The funding came from the federal TEA-21 bill and was signed off on by then-President George W. Bush.

More good news followed approximately a year later in July 2005, when then-City Councilman Tony Avella announced that he had provided a $1.3 million allocation for a comfort station in Little Bay Park.

Seven years have now passed and neither project have had a shovel in the ground. It is not unreasonable to question what has happened to $5.42 million that was intended to benefit the community.

In response to a recent inquiry initiated by the Bay Terrace Community Alliance, it was learned that the city Parks Department and the city have taken “our” money, which came from different sources and bundled most of the distribution into one.

This was done without any notification of elected officials, community boards or civic groups. Parks claims that due to the ensuing confusion the wrong permits were applied for, which further delayed both undertakings.

As we are all too aware, co-mingling funds is never good practice. It inevitably results in a loss of accountability and a worst-case scenario can be an intentional or unintentional misuse of the financial allocation.

There must be a prompt public accounting for the $5.42 million in federal and city funding. In addition, the allocations must only be used for the intended purposes and in the designated locations.

Community Boards 7 and 11, along with the borough president’s office, are urged to begin an immediate official review and investigation of this matter. It is also requested that the office of the city comptroller commence a comprehensive audit in regard to these funds and actions of the agencies involved.

It is obvious that the planned park and traffic enhancements have somehow been derailed. It is time to get them back on track.

Warren Schreiber
President
Bay Terrace Community Alliance Inc.
Bayside

Where'd the park dough go?

From the Times Ledger:

Warren Schreiber, president of the Bay Terrace Community Alliance, told Community Board 11 Monday night he was investigating a combined $5.42 million he claims has not been used by the city Parks Department after being allocated by U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-Bayside) and then-City Councilman Tony Avella for improvements in Little Bay Park more than seven years ago.

He said he would call on City Comptroller John Liu to audit Parks to find out what happened to the funds that were intended to expand a parking lot and build a comfort station at the park.

“Seven years have passed and there’s not a shovel in the ground. It’s not unreasonable to ask what happened to the funds,” Schreiber said. “We want this money to come back to the community and used in the locations it was intended for.”

A spokeswoman for Parks wrote in an e-mail that the department is currently working to bring the projects to the construction phase.