With the warm weather months rapidly approaching, residents of Long Island City’s waterfront are anticipating the return of nightly mayhem that plagued the area last year with roving gangs consuming alcohol, blasting music and fireworks and drag racing affecting their quality of life.
The Hunters Point Parks Conservancy, a nonprofit organization which cares for the waterfront spaces, is hosting a public Zoom meeting on Wednesday, April 7, to preemptively address community concerns with representatives from NYC Parks, NYS Parks, the NYPD’s 108th Precinct and elected officials.
While they are not involved in security, maintenance, or rule enforcement in Gantry Plaza State Park and Hunters Point South Park, the Hunters Point Parks Conservancy is hosting the event to address residents’ concerns in these areas. The problematic issues include fireworks that caused extensive damage to some of the piers and created brush fires that required FDNY responses, late night raves and partying with alcohol and loud music, graffiti and trash throughout the parks, motorcycles and off road vehicles driving through the parks after hours, and even the menacing of residents simply walking their dogs.
“I understand why everyone would want to party in our amazing parks, however, we ask everyone to respect the parks, respect the neighborhood and treat the parks like you would your own home,” Hunters Point Parks Conservancy President Rob Basch said. “Please leave the parks as you found them and take out what you take in.”
The conservancy tried to combat the trash issue last year with the purchase and installation of BigBelly garbage receptacles with each unit holding five times as much trash as a regular garbage cans. But the numerous illegal and unsafe activities occurred, mostly at night after the official park closing hours, leading some residents to hire the services of OnPoint Security, a Long Island City-based security company launched by UrbanUpbound ,which patrolled the parks from August into the fall.
In anticipation of another busy spring and summer in the parks, HPPC is hosting the Zoom event to share any plans with residents directly, and allow neighbors to ask questions and raise their concerns directly to the agencies responsible for safety, security and other park matters.
The event, scheduled from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., will be structured in two parts, with the first consisting of remarks and statements from the agency officials and the second part being a moderated Q&A session.
Residents can pose questions during the event, in advance here, or by emailing info@hunterspointparks.org. Participants must register in advance to attend the event by filling out this form. The information on how to join the Zoom call will be sent out to participants in advance of the meeting.
“There is no better place in New York City to spend a warm summer night on the LIC waterfront,” Basch said. “Love the parks, love the neighborhood and show your love by respecting the rules and leaving the parks a better place than before you arrived.”
