Graffiti cleaning war rages on

Jerry Tarantola has lived in Ozone Park for over 50 years, and says of the current blight on the neighborhood - graffiti - “it’s not nice.”
So when Tarantola walked down 93rd Street and 101st Avenue on Saturday, October 25 and saw what was going on, he was pleased.
Eric Ulrich, President of the Our Neighbors Civic Association of Ozone Park, had organized a graffiti clean-up at five locations: 81-01 101st Avenue, 92-19 101st Avenue, 85-15 Rockaway Boulevard, 86-19 Sutter Avenue and 105-04 93rd Street - paid for entirely by the Civic Association.
“Graffiti vandalism is an eyesore in our community,” said Ulrich, who told The Courier that the clean up cost $1,000. “It [vandalism] lowers property values, diminishes our quality of life, and gives off the impression of lawlessness.”
Ulrich explained that the site at 93rd Street and 101st Avenue had been re-tagged after being cleaned earlier this summer.
“I am proud to say that fighting graffiti is a top priority, but is also a never ending battle,” he said.
Bruce Pienkny of the CitySolve Company, the professional graffiti-cleaning company removing the tags, said that graffiti is not a socio-economic issue.
“Graffiti wrecks the neighborhood,” said Sergeant John McCoy of the local 102nd Precinct.
He went on to explain that the number of vandalism incidents have gone down in the area since “Sum Z,” John Colasanti, 35, of Ozone Park, and Zolina Lindo, 22, were arrested on Friday, August 29.
And, with the onset of the colder weather, McCoy said, graffiti vandalism also slows.
However, on Halloween - a day notorious for tricks and treats - McCoy told The Courier, there will be extra patrols.
“The fight against graffiti vandals must never stop. Ozone Park is still a wonderful place is live, work and raise a family,” said Ulrich. “But as local residents, we have an obligation to make it even better.”
The next graffiti clean up will be held on Saturday, November 1.
For locations and more information, call Ulrich at 917-328-2459.