The Kissena Corridor Park Conservancy is trying to turn a section of the Flushing park that’s overgrown with weeds into a meditation garden. But a lack of money is keeping the group from attaining tranquility.
The conservancy group is turning to local politicians like Councilman Peter Koo to help fund the project, which could cost up to $1 million to complete. In 2009, the group received $6,000 from Congressmember Grace Meng. Koo allocated $100,000 this year from the council’s budget. So far, they’ve collected $160,000.
“We we want to get something in there that’s meaningful to everybody,” said Roland Wade, president of the Kissena Corridor Park Conservancy.
Wade came up with the idea and in 2009 his group proposed it to the Parks Department. The department accepted the idea but they refused to fund it. The Parks Department told the conservancy that the proposed garden would need at least $1 million, according to former conservancy president Dorothy Woo.
“We’re happy to work with the Kissena Corridor Park Conservancy on designing and constructing the garden, once funding is in place,” a Parks Department spokeswoman said. “Anyone who would like to see capital improvements made to their park should reach out to their local elected officials to seek funding.”
The plans for the garden call for cedar of Lebanon trees, lighting, a water feature and various flowers and bushes. The garden would be across the street from the New York Hospital Queens on 56th Avenue. Wade said that the plans for the garden are completely done and once they receive the money, work can begin.
“We thought, why not a memorial garden where people from the hospital can come and meditate,” Wade said. “That they could enter a garden of tranquility where there could be beauty quiet, nature, flowers.”
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