By Juan Soto
Oakland Lake is closed to visitors until next fall.
Recreational enjoyment is off-limits at the 15,000-year-old spring-fed, glacial kettle lake as it undergoes a major transformation to upgrade the sometimes flooded path and improve the water quality.
According to a spokeswoman from the New York City Parks, the project includes the installation of stone swales and drywells “to collect water seeping from surrounding slopes and divert water from the pathway.”
Parks said while construction is underway, “it is necessary to keep the park closed in the interest of public safety.”
Oakland Lake, originally known as Mill Pond, has been closed off since the end of last month. The lake was renamed for the 19th century estate on the site called The Oaks, because of the abundance of oak trees in the area.
Once the project is concluded, “the original stream bed will be re-established and slopes will be stabilized with boulders,” the spokeswoman said.
In addition, the reconstruction will also clean out the existing drainage system and, in some areas, the contractor will install new native wetland plantings.
The work is part of the city Parks and Department of Environmental Protection capital improvement project to restore the 46-acre Oakland Lake Park.
As part of the DEP’s Bluebelt Program, workers will also install storm sewers in the streets near the park in order to prevent erosion.
“The community has been awaiting the work at Oakland Lake for a long time,” Assemblyman Mark Weprin (D-Oakland Gardens). said. “I am hopeful that once the reconstruction is complete, residents will be able to safely and fully enjoy the scenic path.”
The lake is home to fish, such as bass and carp, and it attracts dark-eyed juncos, scaup ducks and migratory birds, among others.
“It is regrettable the entire park will be closed for a year,” said Michael Feiner, president of the Bayside Hills Civic Associations.
But Feiner said that after years of waiting, “amazingly the restoration of Oakland Lake Park is part of what became this massive undertaking.”
Feiner, who became involved in the local civic movement in the 1980s because of the continuing floods occurring in Bayside, pointed out the site has endured years of stormwater runoff causing “erosion and significant sediments and debris build up.”
The lake was bought in the 19th century by the then village of Flushing as a municipal water source. In 1898, Oakland Lake was transferred to the city Department of Water Supply, Gas and Electricity after the consolidation of the five boroughs. In 1934, the lake was transferred to the Parks Department.
The project will restore the ecological health of Oakland Lake Park, according to DEP.
“Improving the water quality of the lake will hopefully bring new species and enhance the environment for birds, fish and plants, and offers enhanced opportunities for recreational users to more fully enjoy water activities, such as fishing, canoeing and kayaking.”
Feiner said his organization, Community Board 11 and neighbors “will be keeping an eye on this restoration to assure that there will be no further delays in its completion.”
Reach reporter Juan Soto by e-mail at jsoto@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4564.
