Reminder Of Sandy Remains An Eyesore
After receiving complaints from Howard Beach residents, Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder sent a letter to National Parks Commissioner Josh Laird urging him to take immediate action and repair the damaged and collapsed fence along the northeast side of the Joseph P. Addabbo Memorial Bridge and Cross Bay Boulevard in Howard Beach.
“Our hardworking families have been through enough after Sandy and they deserve a neighborhood that they can be proud to call home,” said Goldfeder. “The level of deterioration and unsightly conditions at the foot of the Addabbo Bridge in Howard Beach is unacceptable and I strongly urge the National Park Service (NPS) to step up its efforts immediately.”
In his letter to Commissioner Laird, Goldfeder requested immediate action to address the ongoing maintenance issues at the northeast side of the Joseph P. Addabbo Memorial Bridge in Howard Beach.
Summer will be here soon and while residents are enjoying the outdoors they shouldn’t be distracted by neighborhood eyesores, Goldfeder stated.
“It’s been over a year, since the fence has fallen down and currently it’s a wide open space for any tragedy to occur,” said Dorothy McCloskey, founder of Friends of Charles Park. “Any child could fall in the bay and no one would know. It’s a dangerous situation for the community and it’s time NPS did something about it. An immediate action needs to be taken to make this area safe and secure for our neighborhood.”
Nearly 17 months ago, Hurricane Sandy knocked down the fence, which acted as a barricade for trespassers. The fence still has not been restored-creating a gateway for pedestrians and fishermen to freely walk through the area- polluting the grounds.
The unsightly appearance of the rundown fence is an eyesore for not only residents, but customers that frequent the restaurants and shops adjacent to the NPS property, according to Goldfeder.
“Residents of Howard Beach have dealt with these issues for far too long,” he concluded. “A small effort on behalf of NPS will go a very long way in making Howard Beach an even more attractive and safer place for our children and families.”
