Nov. 19, 2015 By Christian Murray
Five cleaners turned out underneath the LIRR trestle at 43rd Street today to haul away garbage, paint over graffiti and power wash pigeon droppings away.
The workers arrived following several complaints from Sunnyside residents about illegal dumping under the LIRR trestle, graffiti and the general state of disrepair.
The job was undertaken by Wildcat, a non-profit group that is in charge of combating graffiti in the neighborhood that also does emergency cleanups.
Van Bramer, whose office funds Wildcat, said he called on the group to come and clean up the stretch but emphasized that it is only a short term solution.
“I’m calling on the MTA and LIRR to finally, once and for all, take responsibility for this area,” he said. “This is our neighborhood and their property. This is a disgrace.”
Van Bramer said he is calling the MTA and the LIRR today to tell them take ownership of the area and to not allow it to become a dumping ground.
The councilman said he would deploy Wildcat to the site from time to time but made it clear that this is not a long term solution.
Community Board 2 is also urging the MTA and LIRR to clean up the site.
