Give a pet a home
The Richmond Hill Block Association (RHBA) will be hosting its third annual Pet Adoption Day on Saturday, June 12 at Forest Park’s Buddy Monument from noon until 4 p.m.
Last year, the RHBA’s Pet Adoption Day was a rousing success with more than dozen pets finding new, loving homes. With the cooperation of the ASPCA and Four Paws Sake animal rescue group, the RHBA expects this year’s event to be equally successful.
Celebrating Flag Day weekend, the Block Association will also be giving out small patriotic items.
The Buddy Monument is located at the corner of Myrtle Avenue and Park Lane South in Queens. For more information, call Joan Bachert, Program Director, at 718-849-3759.
Ozone Park Civic to meet The Ozone park Civic Association will be holding its monthly meeting on Tuesday, June 15 at 8 p.m. at 97-14 135th Drive (please use the Bristol Street entrance of the Ozone Howard Little League ball fields).
Invited guest will be Hassan King from Partnership for Parks. He will discuss free activities in city parks.
As always, coffee and cake will be served. For more information, call 646-298-7575.
State parks will stay open
Assemblymember Audrey Pheffer is pleased to announce that the 58 New York State parks and historic sites on the budget chopping block will re-open after a three-way agreement was reached between the Assembly, the Senate and Governor David A. Paterson.
The original plan had included the closure of our local park, Bayswater Point State Park. Bayswater Park compromises 12 acres at the tip of Mott Avenue and juts out into the Mott Basin on the eastern shore of Jamaica Bay. The park is an ideal habitat for migrating and nesting birds and is a favorite spot for fishing, nature study and enjoying the beautiful sunsets over New York City.
“Know that our economy has forced many New Yorkers to look toward ‘staycations’ as an option for summer enjoyment, our State parks play a large role in providing enjoyment and recreational opportunities for many. That is why I, along with my colleagues, worked diligently to ensure that our great State parks remain open for all to enjoy,” said Pheffer.
The state park system includes 178 parks and 35 historic sites and is the source of 20,000 jobs throughout the state. The parks produce about $1.9 billion in annual sales for private businesses in areas near the parks, as well as $440 million in employment income. Considering the benefits of the parks versus the expenses incurred by the State in operating them, the parks generate $5 for every $1 spent.
“The residents of our community are fortunate to not only have our wonderful public beaches to enjoy, but they can now, once again, take pleasure in exploring the beautiful Bayswater Point State Park,” said Pheffer.
WRBA works to save library
The Woodhaven Residents’ Block Association is contributing to efforts to save the Woodhaven Library from potentially devastating cuts.
A large crowd of supporters — including numerous children — gathered at the library for a rally on Thursday, June 3. With the Queens Library system facing dramatic budget cuts, Woodhaven has mobilized to demonstrate how important the local branch is to our community. The rally was sponsored by the Local 1321 Queens Library Guild.
The centerpiece of the rally was a "Tree of Knowledge" — a paper tree created by the library staff consisting of people’s memories and supportive words written on the leaves. The WRBA, in partnership with Project Woodhaven, took the Tree of Knowledge digital by encouraging friends of the Woodhaven Library to share their thoughts via e-mail and other online forums. This Virtual Tree of Knowledge, which includes contributions from dozens of supporters, was presented at the rally. It enabled many who were unable to attend — including former residents of Woodhaven who benefited from the library in years past — to add their voices to those who were physically present at the rally. A copy will be mailed to Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
"The Woodhaven Library has played an extremely important role in our community for decades," said WRBA President Edward K. Wendell, who presented the compilation at the rally. "The Virtual Tree of Knowledge shows how widespread the support is for our library. If you close the library in Woodhaven, the impact will be felt in every community where today’s Woodhaven residents might live in the future."
"It was a moving addition to our Tree of Knowledge concept and made it more inclusive," said Assistant Community Library Manager Kendra Hoaas. "It was especially poignant because when Ed Wendell talked about it at the rally and he was surrounded by children whose lives are shaped by the library — just like the library has shaped the lives of those adults who contributed to the Virtual Tree of Knowledge."
