Volunteers Needed To Help Spruce Up MacDonald Park

Saturday, June 15
10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. 

Help out for an hour or two if you can. Rain or shine. 

More information on Facebook: Friends of MacDonald Park

Call for Volunteers for Mulch and Plant Event This Saturday!

Friends of MacDonald Park is sponsoring a Mulch and Plant Day on Saturday, October 13^th, 9:30-12:00. We need more volunteers to help apply mulch around nearly 100 of the trees that were planted in 2011. These trees replaced those that were destroyed by the 2010 Macroburst.

We will also be planting seasonal plants throughout the park.

If you can spare an hour or two, it would be greatly appreciated.

As always, we provide gloves, tools, and refreshments.

Students receive Community Service Credit too!

Email smelnick718@gmail.com with any questions. Those interested can just show up at the park tomorrow at 9:30. 

Volunteers Needed! MacDonald Park Spring Cleanup

After several postponements due to Old Man Winter hanging on way past his welcome, they are finally going to do the cleanup and planting bed preparation this Saturday, April 14, 10:00-12:30.

There are no other dates available in April that they can do this.

Tools and gloves provided.

There is no snow on the horizon and temps will be in the balmy 70s.

We are looking to make some nice improvements to the park this year with our $10,000 NYC Council grant.

MacDonald Park in Springtime

Just some pics I shot the other day while hanging out in our increasingly pretty local park. As I tweeted at the time I took these, you can almost forget you're sitting right next to 12 lanes of traffic the park has become so beautiful. Thanks to all the dedicated people—including a large number of dedicated local volunteers, by the way—who continue to improve this small but vital piece of public parkland smack dab in the middle of Forest Hills.

Picture of the Day -- And a Need for Volunteers

Thanks to Steve for the photo... and he also sent along this item:

Volunteer Day at MacDonald Park Nov 14th—Farewell to 2015

The final Volunteer Cleanup Day for 2015 is this Saturday, Nov 14^th from 10:00-12:30. We need help planting new shrubs, raking leaves, pruning, and cleaning.  If you could spare just one hour or two, that would be great...  As always, gloves, tools, and refreshments will be provided. And students receive Community Service credit. 

Sneak Peek of Fox's Hit Show Gotham Saturday Night

SNEAK PEEKS OF “MADE IN NY” TV SERIES TO BE FEATURED IN NYC PARKS AS ‘MOVIES UNDER THE STARS’ PROGRAM CONTINUES

The Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment and NYC Parks announce free outdoor screenings of “Made in NY” television shows at select parks in New York City, offering a sneak peek of the shows before they air on television. This is a unique opportunity to connect New Yorkers to major network shows that are filmed in their communities in a creative setting. FOX’s hit series Gotham will be screened on Saturday, September 19.  

WHAT:         Gotham, ‘TV under the Stars’

WHEN:         Saturday, September 19, 8pm

WHERE:       Flushing Meadows Corona Park Zoo Picnic Area

Penguin is King of Gotham and after a shakeup at the GCPD, Detective James Gordon’s moral compass wavers, as he seeks help from Penguin. Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne continues to explore the secrets from his father’s office, while Gotham newcomers Theo Galavan (James Frain) and his sister, Tabitha (Jessica Lucas), make friends with some unlikely allies, a group of dangerous inmates from Arkham in the all-new “Rise of the Villains: Damned If You Do,…” Season Two premiere episode of Gotham airs Monday, September 21 on Fox.

Please bring your own picnic blanket or chair; space is available on a first come first served basis. For additional information about the free outdoor screening, visit http://on.nyc.gov/MoviesUnderTheStarsNYC.

 

MacDonald Park Cleanup Dates

Open to anyone who wants to help clean up our park:

As usual, all supplies and gloves will be provided and credit for community service will be given to students. 

Thanks for your continued support in helping make MacDonald Park a great part of our community. 

September 19th,   Saturday 10:00-1:00

October 17th,    Saturday 10:00-1:00

November 14th,  Saturday 10:00-1:00

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.

It's My Park Day - Tomorrow!

It's My Park at MacDonald Park

Saturday, May 9, 2015

10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.

This It's My Park season, volunteer with Friends of MacDonald Park to help clean, rake, weed, paint and generally spruce up MacDonald Park in Forest Hills. We'll also be planting near the entrance gardens at Macdonald Park starting at 10AM. Please dress appropriately for projects. Please email info@QueensBLVD.org to register for the cleanup. We look forward to a great day of cleaning up MacDonald Park!

Location

MacDonald Park Entrance in MacDonald Park

Queens Boulevard and 69th Road

Queens

Directions to this location

Cost

Free

Event Organizer

Friends of Macdonald Park

Contact Number

(917) 558-3802

Contact Email

info@QueensBLVD.org

 

SummerStage Celebrates 30th Anniversary Season

The non-profit City Parks Foundation’s famed SummerStage performing arts festival is celebrating its 30^th anniversary season in 2015.  To get fans pumped for the summer and to shake off a case of the late winter blues, SummerStage will leak the names of 30 artists performing at the citywide festival starting on March 9^th. One artist will be announced daily over the course of 30 days, culminating in the full season announcement on April 8^th. 

To stay up to date on the artists being announced, follow SummerStage via the below links and visit www.SummerStage.org for festival information.
Twitter:            @SummerStage Facebook:       www.facebook.com/summerstagenyc Instagram:      http://instagram.com/summerstagenyc

 

NY Times Comes Out in Suport of The QueensWay

In very exciting news to close out the year, the NY Times in an editorial has carefully weighed the two options for the 3.5 mile stretch of abandoned railway that runs from Rego Park—and through a section of Forest Hills—to the Rockaways and come out in support of a High Line-like park which would be called The QueensWay.

I think this is the most important part of their analysis of the two options, the other of which is reviving the rail link to the Rockaways:

A Green Line Through Queens

....they may be understating the difficulty of reviving those rails for trains. Of the QueensWay’s 47 acres, seven are parkland. If the city, which owns the land, was to return it to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority for transit, it would have to find replacement parkland somewhere else. Then there is the question of when the M.T.A. would get to this capital project, which would be one of many on its overflowing, underfunded to-do list.

The likeliest answer is never. The M.T.A.’s capital plan is only half-funded; the agency is strapped by debt and is hard-pressed to protect the infrastructure it has.

Many naysayers have dismissed the possibility that The QueensWay will ever come to fruition. They point to the hurdles that the High Line had, which were overcome with the help of big celebrity donors. It reminds me of the same dismissive tone I heard about the possibility of ever reviving Forest Hills Stadium for music concerts.

And we all know how that turned out:

City Parks Foundation Announces Fall 2013 Season Of Cityparks Seniors Fitness

Free Tennis and Yoga Instruction in Queens

September 23rd – November 1st, 2013

City Parks Foundation welcomes all New Yorkers, 60 and over, to participate in CityParks Seniors Fitness. The Fall 2013 season of free fitness programs will begin the week of September 23^rd and will offer free tennis lessons and yoga instruction in 4 parks throughout Queens.

This season, CityParks Seniors Fitness returns for six weeks to Astoria Park in Astoria, Cunningham Park in Oakland Gardens, Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Flushing, and Roy Wilkins Park in Jamaica. All activities will take place twice a week at each park throughNovember 1, 2013. Participants are encouraged to maintain regular attendance to maximize health benefits.

CityParks Seniors Fitness has served over 5,000 participants since it began in 2006 and aims to keep neighborhood parks a great place for community activity.  The program encourages New Yorkers to maximize the health benefits of staying active at every age. Even in moderate amounts, exercise can help participants feel better, maintain or lose weight, reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes, and minimize the symptoms of arthritis.

All equipment and instruction is provided free of charge. Sessions are one hour long, except tennis lessons in Astoria Park and Flushing Meadows Corona Park, which are two hours.

The following is a detailed schedule for CityParks Seniors Fitness in Queens for Fall 2013:

NOTE: Schedule subject to change. For the most up-to-date schedule visit: http://www.cityparksfoundation.org/sports/seniors-fitness.

For more information about City Parks Foundation’s free Seniors Fitness programs, please call the Sports Department at (718) 760–6999.

QUEENS 
Astoria ParkTennis – Mondays/Wednesdays at 10 AM – 12 PM – Tennis Courts at 21^st St. and 
Hoyt Ave. S

Cunningham Park

Tennis – Tuesdays/Thursdays at 9 AM – Tennis Courts at Union Turnpike and 193^rd St.

Yoga – Tuesdays/Thursdays at 10 AM – Tennis Courts at Union Turnpike and 193^rd St.

Flushing Meadows Corona Park
Tennis – Mondays/Wednesdays at 9 AM – 11AM – Tennis Courts at Meridian Rd.

Roy Wilkins Park

Tennis – Tuesdays/Thursdays at 10 AM – Tennis Courts at Baisley Blvd. and 177^th St.
Yoga– Tuesdays/Thursdays at 9 AM – Tennis Courts at Baisley Blvd. and 177^th St.

About City Parks Foundation

City Parks Foundation is the only independent, nonprofit organization to offer park programs throughout the five boroughs of New York City. We work in over 750 parks citywide, presenting a broad range of free arts, sports, and education programs, and empowering citizens to support their parks on a local level. Our programs and community building initiatives reach more than 600,000 people each year, contributing to the revitalization of neighborhoods throughout New York City.

Follow City Parks Foundation via the below links

Facebook:            https://www.facebook.com/CityParksFoundation

Twitter:                @CPFNYC

Generous support provided by Zwicker Electric; New York City Council under the Leadership of Christine C. Quinn; NYC Council Member Julissa Ferreras; NYC Council Member Jessica Lappin; and Council Member Annabel Palma. North Shore-LIJ Health System is a signature sponsor of all City Parks Foundation’s sports & fitness programs, which offer free expert instruction to over 15,000 New York youth and seniors at over 60 locations citywide.

Summer by the Lake, in Forest Hills!

After years of waiting, Forest Hills now has access to a beautiful lake! The City has finally opened the gate to the entrance to the Willow Lake Trail. The entrance is located on the Grand Central Parkway service road at the corner of 72nd Road. Be advised, however, while the scenic beauty of the lake is now easily accessible the second you cross over the Grand Central Parkway footbridge, the trail around the lake is quite muddy in locations within minutes of beginning the walk, forcing me, in my sneakers, to halt my journey pretty quickly and decide to continue on another day with some waterproof Timberlands. The Forest Hills entrance is open weekends.

The entrance is at the corner of 72nd Road and GCP Service Road.

A close-up of the entrance, with the footbridge over Grand Central Parkway behind...

Within a minute, you go from this...

.... to this...

... and finally, this.. I can't tell you how cool it is to make that quick transition.

The trail then begins around the lake...

Starting out as a stone path...

If it wasn't for the sound of the nearby parkway cars, I'd never know I was in NYC...

... the trail quickly gets very muddy in spots, so be warned, bring hiking shoes. And enjoy!

From FoHi Patch: MacDonald Park To Be WiFi Enabled

This is really great news (maybe not for Starbucks, I guess)...

MacDonald Park To Be WiFi Enabled
The New York City Parks Department announced earlier this month that three Queens Parks — including MacDonald Park in Forest Hills — will be outfitted with wireless internet access this summer.