Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Is MacDonald Park Being Put to the Best Use?

As the only real public park area in central Forest Hills, I wonder, is MacDonald Park being put to the best use? I'm wondering what you all feel about this park (if you even know that it exists, that is)? Visit it and its users seems to be overwhelmingly comprised of senior citizens. Where are all the new, younger residents in the neighborhood? How come they make little use of this park?

Given that it is the only public park area that most of us have easy walking-distance access to, I really wonder if we can do something better with at least some of the space to make it more attractive and exciting for the younger residents coming into the neighborhood?

What about a Community Garden, for example? We don't seem to have one like the other boroughs do. Or how about redesigning the space to make it just more engaging and attractive, with walkways through more exotic flowers and plants, instead of just the open concrete spaces we now have there?

The point is, MacDonald Park seems to be serving the needs of only a thin slice of the population of Forest Hills. Maybe it's about time its uses were reconsidered and it was opened up to some fresh ideas? It would be nice to have a more entertaining public park space for everyone to use within easy walking distance, especially with the weather being so mild for the most part this summer.


40 comments:

  1. Friends of MacDonald Park was formed last year to address some of your concerns. FB : Friends of MacDonald Park.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm familiar with them, and great work. But I'm talking about going beyond the maintenance and incremental improvements that FoMP has been doing and completely rethinking the use of some sections of the park.

      Delete
  2. We need a community garden.

    ReplyDelete
  3. As someone who grew up and still resides in Rego Park, we used to (as HS and JHS kids) hang out at the park. The big circle in the middle used to be made on concrete benches which a lot of kids used to skate on and do tricks off of. It used to be really nice. The older folks would hang out at the other end of the park, play checkers and such, which they seem to still do. As I grew older and moved onto college I still used to see HS kids hanging out there, skating etc. I think once the storm destroyed it and it was redone a lot let kids find it as attractive with the skating aspect not being there anymore....just my opinion.....still a nice park.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The redesign to discourage skateboarding was done a number of years before the macroburst took all the big, old trees. The interior circle is often occupied by some serious chess players who can be very territorial. NYSC sometimes has small group training there too, and there is a tai chi group many mornings.

      Delete
  4. But if we change it where will decrepit old people go to stare out into space?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I allowed this comment only because I find it funny. The fact is, I know of not one "decrepit old" person in Forest Hills. Maybe in Long Island.

      Delete
    2. It's so amusing how young people assume they'll be young forever. And they know EVERYTHING!

      Delete
  5. A community garden would be nice

    ReplyDelete
  6. Honestly, I feel MacDonald Park is being put to excellent use. As part of the Community Group, The Forest Hills Green Team, I've spent a decent amount of time in the park, working (cleaning up the grounds, planting, painting, et al) as well just enjoying the park itself.

    Years ago this park was very much frequented by skateboarders, and it caused hazards for others utilizing the park grounds.

    Yes, there may be an inordinate number of Senior Citizens utilizing the park today, but so what? In many instances these are individuals who cannot make a trip to other park-like areas, and it's nice to know they have a place to go.

    With that said, the park itself is put to good use by dog owners and the Chess games are not exclusive of younger players (not teenagers per se, but not all Senior Citizens either).

    The space itself is not all that large. A community garden would not likely last if there were no way to section it off in an enclosed space. I'd personally love to see a bocce court put in, but as someone explained to me, the cost to maintain one is fairly exorbitant.

    For now, I think the park is great. My only issue is the amount of litter we have to clean up on an on-going basis. I'd say we should get funding for more waste baskets, but fact is, many of the folks that utilize the space are simply too lazy to walk a few feet to utilize them anyway.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The bocce court idea is one of the best ideas I've heard in a long time. It promotes more physical activity albeit limited and gives a better appearance to the unused space further west in the park.

      Delete
  7. I walk through this park a lot and have sat in it and people watched. The main circle does seem to be for the seniors, but I kind of appreciate that. That's probably been their spot to go and play chess or cards for a long time. I like that they (the seniors) have that place to get together and meet up.

    I've also had a mini picnic in the grassy area next to the circle. It's just uncomfortable since it isn't private at all. It's a nice park to sit in but not sure what else could be done. I agree that nicer landscaping would possibly attract more people. The fact that there is so much greenery is impressive.

    I think part of the problem is that it's essentially on Queens Blvd. Being so close to the traffic doesn't make it very inviting. I'm not sure if people would come here if a playground was added and the shape of the park would make for a weird layout of equipment I think. I think most people live on the north side of Queens Blvd. or further down Austin St. and there are playgrounds around there.

    Fixing up the landscaping would go a long way. Nicer plants and benches would make it more inviting. The park is more a park to sit in and relax. Although with the traffic and sirens it can be pretty noisy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. By the way, that annoying traffic that buttresses the park will likely be reduced over the next couple of years:
      http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/2015-03-queens-blvd-safety-improvements.pdf

      Delete
    2. Yep, I've seen this plan. Unfortunately, Phase 1 of construction doesn't start until 2018, which means completion of the portion in Rego Park/Forest Hills (Project 3) won't be complete until 2020's depending on when in 2018 construction actually starts. That's a long ways down the road (pun intended). Progress is progress though and it will be an improvement to the traffic situation.

      The park is a big space and I think it really is a just a "sitting" park, which I don't mind at all. Some place you can walk through and sit for a bit and relax. That's why I think landscaping will go a long way to attract more people. If it looks nicer and more colorful people will go there. Maybe a painting or mural in the one concrete circle. Commission a local artist to do something specific to Forest Hills. Just an idea.

      Delete
  8. This is not a debate about the use of the park by senior citizens. As I said, I am just wondering if some sections of the park could be put to better, more enjoyable use that would more appeal to everyone in the neighborhood. Where there's a will, there's a way, the saying goes. I've noticed that spaces only look small until you put something in them, then suddenly you realize how much space you really had!

    ReplyDelete
  9. A playground for young kids would make a nice addition to the park.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Playground would be too close to the boulevard, would need ugly fencing and would displace too much green space. It's a noisy little oasis that should be left as is.

      Delete
  10. Re-create a skateboarding area for our younger athletic citizens to make FH "cool" and attract more interesting businesses, add an all-ages wading pool/fountain in acknowledgement of the lack of a public pool near FH, and add native-soecies community gardening projects/plots. In short, take a cue from bigger and hipper LIC

    ReplyDelete
  11. A workout station for the park was proposed and voted on during the recent Participatory Budgeting process for our district. Unfortunately the idea did not garner too many votes. Art, music, sports, or community gardens are all great ideas. To make any of these happen would take a great deal of time and ongoing support from the community, two commodities that are hard to come by these days.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't think those things are hard to come by at all. I see people in Forest Hills doing all kinds of volunteer work and involved in all kinds of ways. New Yorkers love their neighborhoods and are always going out of their way to improve them.

      Delete
  12. LIC is very lucky in that developers there are being required to participate in building and upgrading of park and waterfront space. Major developers and corporations have a vested interest in LIC. Can't say the same for poor old Forest Hills.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Why are you so negative about Forest Hills? I think it's a very nice neighborhood, except for Queens Boulevard.

      Which developer is near MacDonald Park that would have any reason to be involved with it though? It's kind of an island to itself.

      Delete
    2. LIC is being developed from scratch with a completely blank slate. It's a different and probably more complicated landscape in FH because it's very difficult to significantly change what is already there (for better or for worse).

      Delete
    3. It's a trade off for the developers. They are getting to build taller buildings that the zoning does not allow if they provide some sort of amenity back to the neighborhood. As in upgrading a park or developing a waterfront for the public. Their only interest is to be able to build more floors with more apartments to make more money. They don't have a vested interest in the community. They're being required too if they want to generate more money for themselves. It's a small trade off for them since they'll make much more in the end with more apartments to sell and rent. They're not going to maintain these parks and waterfront. It'll be back to the city to maintain once it's done.

      Delete
    4. Even with all it's development, LIC does not have the sense of community that FH does.

      Delete
    5. Last I checked, Cord Meyer, the developer that built most of Forest Hills, has its headquarters one block away.

      Delete
  13. I think a community garden would be great. I also want to mention that I worked on a proposal for the park in the participatory budgeting process last year. It was to install several pieces of permanent outdoor adult exercise equipment in the park. We made it onto the ballot (many projects were eliminated ). Many people said they loved the idea, but it didn't get enough votes to be funded. We can revisit it next time.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I think MacDonald Park would benefit from a shift in its urban design from an area of grass with benches to one of those pedestrian plazas with tables and chairs. Sort of like a mini Bryant Park. I think the tables and chairs would make this area far more communal - people have lunch, shift around the seating as they like, work on a laptop, etc… The chess tables should stay for the many neighborhood folks that like to use them but I think the benches in that park just attract homeless ppl to sleep there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How bout make it like Times Square and make the block between the Jewish temple and the post office pedestrian only?

      Delete
    2. I like this idea. There's not enough seating to eat outside other than the chess tables that are usually full. The homeless issue also has to be addressed, but not sure how. A new design needs to be in place.

      Delete
  15. I would love to have swings or a little deck area like they do in Bryant Park..

    ReplyDelete
  16. LEAVE MY GREENSPACE GREEN.

    ReplyDelete
  17. A playground would require the installation of restrooms. We are talking a pin-head size piece of land here folks.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Is there still a farmer's market on the sidewalk? Why isn't it in this park even a couple of times a week? They do one in Lincoln Center on Thursdays in a similar park in the middle of a busy intersection and it's awesome. The community loves it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Vendor parking would be extremely difficult during the week.

      Delete
  19. Needs a dog run.

    ReplyDelete
  20. There's a great workout group there on Thursday mornings!

    ReplyDelete
  21. There's a large group of Tai Chi enthusiasts in the park every morning. And people do picnic in the park, blanket and all.

    ReplyDelete
  22. What about a CitiBike station here? It doesn't have to be Times-Square huge, maybe 10 bikes? And some additional bike racks for everyone else.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That could happen eventually but not anytime soon because they need to branch out the stations from where they are now. Queens is finally getting the first stations before the end of the summer (in LIC and Astoria I believe).

      Delete