Although Hurricane Sandy happened almost nearly three years ago, a local cemetery is now getting financial assistance to clean up from damages incurred during the October 2012 superstorm.
The Cemetery of the Evergreens, which sits on the Glendale/Bushwick border, will receive two grants totaling $1.3 million as part of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s effort to restore 16 historically significant properties across New York State that sustained damaged during Sandy.
“Many of New York’s historic properties endured the devastating effects of Superstorm Sandy and as a result, have fallen into a state of disrepair,” Cuomo said in a statement. “With this funding, we are helping our communities rebuild these New York State treasures back stronger and more resilient than before. In the end, they will better withstand the threat of future storms and continue to serve as economic and educational assets in their communities.”
During Sandy, the 166-year-old Cemetery of the Evergreens, also known as the Evergreens Cemetery, experienced extreme winds that caused trees to topple and destroy several monuments and gravestones. A $1 million grant will aid the cemetery in removing debris from fallen trees, finish landscape restorations and repair the damaged gravestones and monuments.
“The money from the grants will go to pay for new trees that we have to replace. We had a lot of damage done from existing trees,” said Julie Bose, president of the Cemetery of the Evergreens. “Some of it was not immediate damage. We are just delighted and grateful for this grant. I think some people don’t realize that the effects of Hurricane Sandy are still being felt.”
The Evergreens Cemetery Preservation Foundation will also receive an additional $320,000 grant to fund an extensive cultural landscape report to assess the damage to the landscape caused by Sandy and provide both short- and long-term treatment plans.
“We are very welcoming to the neighborhood and we want people to come and explore the beauty of this space, not only those that have loved ones buried here, but the community as a whole,” Bose said. “We want this to be a welcoming place.”
The funds for the grants are provided by the National Park Service and administered by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
In total, Cuomo issued $6.2 million in grants for the restoration of historic properties around the state that were damaged in the superstorm, including Lookout Hill, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church and Jones Beach State Park, among others.
Last year, Cuomo awarded more than $5 million in grants to restore 14 historic properties that incurred severe damage from Sandy.
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