Contractors Throw Curveball Into Ball Field Plans

However, after only one season, the fields were closed down.
A joint 18-month investigation by the D.A.s office, Depts. of Sanitation and Environmental Protection, and the Trade Waste Commission, concluded that three corporations trucked and dumped construction and demolition debris at the site of several childrens ballfields. In order to save $5 a cubic yard in carting and dumping costs, the companies allegedly covered up their crimes with a thin layer of top soil, which quickly wore away. Underneath, investigators discovered rusty pipes, wallboardeven heavy slabs of concrete.
"This is a classic tale of selfishness and greed perpetrated upon the residents of College Point and their children in total disregard of their safety and in violation of environmental laws," said Brown. "Not only did they know the site was not licensed to receive those materials, but more significantly, they knew youngsters would most likely be injured as a result."
It is not believed at this time that any children were injured due to the illegal dumping.
The D.A. said Malvern resident Francesco Casalino, 42, and his brothers, Anthony and Joseph, both from Howard Beach, went to great lengths to conceal their activities by falsifying tracking reports with the Dept. of Sanitation and the Citys environmental authorities.
Casalino Interior Demolition Corp., and Astro Trucking Inc., both from Maspeth, and Citiwide Recycling Corp., a solid waste transfer station, were charged in the 734 count indictment.
The defendants were charged with 383 counts of falsifying business records, eight counts of offering a false instrument for filing, 254 counts of release to the environment of more than 70 cubic yards of solid waste, 80 counts of release to the environment of more than 10 cubic yards of solid waste, and conspiracy. If convicted they face up to four years in prison a piece, and fines in upwards of $25,000.
The three suspects pleaded not guilty and a judge released them without bail. They will appear next in court on May 30.
"These defendants not only polluted the land for commercial profit and left the City holding the bag for over $10 million in cleanup costs," said NYC Commissioner of Investigation Edward J. Kuriansky. "They turned a field of dreams into a childs nightmare and thereby robbed the kids of College Point of three precious, irretrievable summers of their youth."
The city has spent $10 million cleaning up after the Casalino brothers, and Brown said it could cost another $5 million before the park is ready to open. The city is considering pursuing civil litigation to recoup much of the costs.
Tony Avella, president of the College Point Sports Association, said he had attorneys check the Casalino brothers background before they were hired to raise the ground near Ulmer Avenue and 127 St., create a drainage system, and build several fields. Although they found no evidence of criminal history, Avella said on occasion he would discover inappropriate material along the field, and demand it was removed.
The sports complex, now run by the Parks Dept., calls for the construction of four baseball fields, two football and soccer fields, a roller hockey rink, a quarter-mile running track, a cross country track, and a Parks House.
"It is unfortunate that a few individuals put kids in this kind of situation," said Avella. "They took advantage of the community, the city, and the children. They should be made to pay."
After the fields were closed by the Sanitation Dept. in October, 1997, kids wanting to play ball were dispersed to fields across northeast Queens. Scheduled to re-open three-years-ago, construction is now significantly behind schedule. And, although there is still much work to be done, Avella said the fields will be open by the summer of 2002.
"They sent a shock to our system," he said "but, we will have these fields back."