City Mulls New College Point Sports Complex Feasibility Study Planned For New School On Sports Site

Feasibility Study Planned For New School On Sports Site
The Queens Courier has learned that the Board of Education’s Division of School Facilities has scheduled an on-site study to determine the feasibility of constructing an early childhood center in one section of the sports complex. Although a portion of the complex’s soccer field has been eyed as a potential site, adequate space will be provided on the site for soccer playing.
Early last month, Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, prodded by Assemblywoman Nettie Mayersohn, appropriated $5 million to build two baseball fields and a hockey rink. Praising the Mayor’s rapid response, Mayersohn said, "We are all focusing on getting the facility opened as quickly as possible.
Construction of the 22-acre sports facility had been halted for about 19 months by the Sanitation Dept. because City courts had ruled that nearly 40,000 tons of illegal debris had been dumped into the play area. The contractor (Enviro-Fill Inc.) which was responsible for the fill was unable (or unwilling) to pay for its removal.
For the past two summers, more than 1,400 local youngsters have been left scrambling for playing facilities.
Speaking of the apparent City take-over of the project, Fred Mazzarello, president of the College Point Board of Trade declared, "In the long run, this is probably the best thing. The cost alone of maintaining this field, would be enormous."
In the meantime, the City Dept. of Investigation is still continuing its probe of the project, and the City has not renewed the lease of its property to the College Point Sports Association.
The field was initially designed to contain nine athletic facilities: senior, intermediate, and little league baseball fields; a soccer field; an adult softball field; a roller hockey rink; cross-country and quarter-mile tracks.