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. 

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.

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:

Happy Mother's Day

Flowers courtesy of Central Park's Shakespeare Garden, Sunday, May 11, 2014

Posted with Blogsy

QueensWay Community Workshops This Week

Last Wednesday, The Friends of the Queensway Steering Committee co-hosted its first community workshop to discuss the QueensWay vision and gather input from Woodhaven residents. The organization's next two workshops will be happening this week, on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, in Forest Hills and Ozone Park.

Workshop II - Tuesday, November 19, 7-9 pm

Metropolitan Expeditionary Learning School (MELS)

91-30 Metropolitan Ave. Forest Hills, NY

(two blocks east of Woodhaven Blvd)

Workshop III - Wednesday November 20, 7-9 pm

Ozone Park Senior Center

103-02 101st Ave, Jamaica, NY

(at 103rd Street)

RSVP is greatly appreciated. You can do so by contacting:

Shelma Jun

QueensWay Plan Engagement Manager

shelma@hesterstreet.org .

212.431.6780 x110

What is the QueensWay?

The QueensWay is a community-led effort to transform a blighted, 3.5 mile stretch of abandoned railway in Central Queens (Rego Park, Forest Hills, Woodhaven, Richmond Hill, and Ozone Park) into a new linear park and cultural greenway. At this time,   consultants are initiating a feasibility study and planning process, to convert the abandoned railway into a pedestrian and bike path, incorporate cultural and community programs, and connect the adjacent neighborhoods to each other and to Forest Park.   The QueensWay is supported by many Queens residents , and spearheaded by Friends of The QueensWay (FQW) and the Trust for Pubic Land (TPL) the nation's leader in creating urban parks.

What will happen at the public workshops?

These workshops will give residents an opportunity to share their ideas, suggestions and concerns   for the project. Your input could help create a vision for the QueensWay that  would identify potential recreational and educational activities, economic opportunities and addresses safety and security concerns.

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!

Last Segment of High Line Acquired

One of my favorite parks in the city will soon, hopefully, be getting much bigger...

City Acquires Last Segment of High Line From Railroad

New York City has acquired the third and final section of the High Line, the old elevated railroad structure on the West Side of Manhattan, from CSX Transportation, clearing the way for completion of the park.

Queens High Line Meeting Tonight

There will be a meeting in Kew Gardens tonight about the possibility of creating our very own High Line, right here in Forest Hills and neighboring communities in Queens. Here is some more information from a Facebook page about the meeting:

The Queens Civic Congress will be hosting a forum on proposals to either reactivate train service on the ROW or develop it into The Queensway - our envisioned world class linear park and bike way - on Monday,June 18th at 7:00 PM at the Maple Grove Center located at 127-15 Kew Gardens Road, Kew Gardens. As members of Friends of the QueensWay please join our Steering Committee and The Trust for Public Land in presenting our vision alongside our friends in what we hope will be an informative and spirited debate on improving the quality of life and options for the entire borough of Queens. It is so important that we show the business, community and political leaders in attendance that there is Broad Support for the QueensWay ----------------- Directions to the meeting at 127-15 Kew Gardens Road on Monday, June 18, 2012 by public transit from Manhattan, South Queens & the Rockaways. ( Please note that all the gates the cemetery will be closed and the main entrance to the building is near 127th Street/Kew Gardens Road.). Directions via auto can be found at various websites such as google, mapquest, yahoo etc. - or bring your bike! From Manhattan: Take the "E" or "F" Line to the Kew Gardens Station staying in the front three cars and exit near Kew Gardens Road along the south side of Queens Blvd. (A sign leading to the Q10 bus will direct you to the south side of Queens Blvd. {Do not exit at the north side which is the Queens Borough Hall/courts side}). Walk along Kew Gardens Road about eleven blocks to 127th Street/Kew Gardens Road. From Jamaica: Take the "E" or "F" Line to the Kew Gardens Station staying in the rear three cars and exit near Kew Gardens Road along the south side of Queens Blvd. (A sign leading to the Q10 bus will direct you to the south side of Queens Blvd. {Do not exit at the north side which is the Queens Borough Hall/courts side}). Walk along Kew Gardens Road about eleven blocks to 127th Street/Kew Gardens Road. From Points South: Q21, Q53 Ltd./Q21Ltd. bus to the Woodhaven Blvd. Station of the Jamaica Avenue "J" subway line. Transfer to the "J" train and take the "J" train to Sutphin Blvd. and than transfer to the "E" Line. Take the "E" Line from Sutphin Blvd. Station to the Kew Gardens Station staying in the rear three cars and exit near Kew Gardens Road along the south side of Queens Blvd. (A sign leading to the Q10 bus will direct you to the south side of Queens Blvd.) Walk along Kew Gardens Road about eleven blocks to 127th Street/Kew Gardens Road. -- OR -- Q21, Q53 Ltd./Q21Ltd. bus to the Woodhaven Blvd. Station of the Queens Blvd. Subway Line "M" & "R" subway line. Transfer to the "M" or "R" train eastbound to the Forest Hills Station and than transfer to the "E" or "F" Lines. Take the "E" or "F" Line to the Kew Gardens Station staying in the front three cars and exit near Kew Gardens Road along the south side of Queens Blvd. (A sign leading to the Q10 bus will direct you to the south side of Queens Blvd. {Do not exit at the north side which is the Queens Borough Hall/courts side}). Walk along Kew Gardens Road about eleven blocks to 127th Street/Kew Gardens Road. -- OR -- Q113/Q113Limited bus to Parsons Blvd./Archer Avenue and transfer to the "E" Line at Parsons Blvd./Archer Avenue. Take the "E" Line (Manhattan bound) to the Kew Gardens Station staying in the rear three cars and exit the Kew Gardens Station along the south side near Kew Gardens Road. (A sign leading to the Q10 bus will direct you to the south side of Queens Blvd. {Do not exit at the north side which is the Queens Borough Hall/courts side}). Walk along Kew Gardens Road about eleven blocks to 127th Street/Kew Gardens Road. -- Note -- Q22 local bus connects to the Q53Ltd./Q21 Ltd./Q21 bus routes and to the Q113 /Q113 Limited bus routes. See http://www.mta.info/ for more information and to see a Queens Bus Map for more specific transfer locations. From other locations in Queens: Q10, Q10 Limited and Q37 buses to Kew Gardens Station. Walk along Kew Gardens Road about eleven blocks to 127th Street/Kew Gardens Road. If on Q10 you can get off at 83rd Avenue/Kew Gardens Road. If on Q37 when exiting at Union Tpke/Queens Blvd. walk along Queens Blvd. to the east until you see Kew Gardens Road near the Q10 bus terminal. Also many local buses transfer with both the Q10, Q10 Limited and Q37 buses such as Q7, Q9, Q41, Q112, Q8, Q24, Q55, Q56, Q54 routes. Q60 bus to 83rd Avenue/Queens Blvd. Walk along 83rd Avenue south to Kew Gardens Road. Turn left and walk about ten blocks to 127th Street/Kew Gardens Road. Numerous buses transfer to the Q60 route. See http://www.mta.info/ for more information and to see a Queens Bus Map for more specific transfer information and locations.

Introducing ... The Low Line

This is, quite frankly, amazing! It's still just in the planning stages, but just the fact that it seriously might happen is another reason why I live in New York City. :)

N.Y. / REGION
Envisioning a Park, With Sights Set Low
By LISA W. FODERARO
Published: November 21, 2011
Plans for a Manhattan green space on a former transit site come with a twist — the park would be underground, in a dank former trolley terminal under Delancey Street.

Scenes from The High Line

I paid a visit to The High Line over the weekend to check out the new section that opened a couple of weeks ago. It doubles the park's length, connecting three neighborhoods along Manhattan's West Side.