Area residents plan Elmhurst parksite

Now that the Parks & Recreation Department has unveiled phase one for the design for a park at the site of the Elmhurst gas tanks, the surrounding communities are weighing in on ideas for the site.
City Council members Dennis Gallagher and Melinda Katz hosted a town hall meeting in conjunction with the Juniper Park Civic Association, who began advocating for a park at this site in 2002. The meeting, which about 100 community members attended, provided everyone a forum to offer suggestions for the construction of the park.
Since much of the site is currently concrete and the design for the project will encompass several phases over several years, the designers want to begin adding more greenery to the site. Currently, the City has allotted $10.6 million for phase one of the project which will focus on bringing more soil and trees to the six-acre site.
The main debate at the meeting focused on whether the park should be an entirely passive park or whether there could be space for recreational facilities, specifically a soccer and football field.
“Everything that made this City great comes from these towns,” said Tony Nunziato, Chairman of Community Board 5’s Environment Committee, who envisioned a passive park at this site for many years. “It’s time for a kickback as far as nature. We need time to reflect; we need that clean air.”
Greg Hoffman, President of the Queens Falcons Youth Football Program, which utilizes the fields at Juniper Valley Park for their games and practices, hopes that the plans for the park can find a middle ground.
“We love the idea of green space, and we love the idea of putting more fields there to support the kids,” Hoffman said. “There is a dire need [for more fields].”
One of the most unique and well-received ideas for the site came from Pat Toro, President of Queens Chapter 32 of the Vietnam Veterans of America.
“We would like to have one memorial in the borough of Queens for the Vietnam Veterans,” Toro said. “This is very important for us. We are going to try to get it. We are going to help in whatever way we can whether it is raising money, digging holes, whatever we have to do.”
Ten years ago, KeySpan began dismantling the Elmhurst gas tanks, but the site originally was not going to be a park. In 2003, KeySpan was in negotiations with the Mattone Group who planned to build a Home Depot on the site.
Bob Holden, President of the Juniper Park Civic Association, formed a taskforce in opposition to the Home Depot plan, and after months of opposition, the City stepped in and purchased the site, designating the land for a park.
“To me, I’m just beside myself, and it’s a great feeling to accomplish this,” Holden said.