The Juniper Park Civic Association (JPCA) ended the year with a final town hall meeting and holiday celebration inside of Our Lady of Hope School on Thursday, Dec. 8.
Maspeth and Middle Village residents packed the venue as Councilman Bob Holden and District 30 Assemblyman-elect Steven Raga provided some clarity to looming neighborhood concerns.
Holden discussed the power outages that directly impacted Middle Village and Maspeth residents on Nov. 30 and how he remains dissatisfied with the response from the commissioner of the Office of Emergency Services.
The mention of city agencies and their failures didn’t end with the power outages, as Holden continued to blast the Fair Chance for Housing Act – Intro. 632-A, and the rise in crime across the city.
“Most of us here were alive in the ’70s and ’80s and we remember 2,000 murders in New York City. We’re not close to that. But you know what? There’s a different sense this time,” Holden said.
A majority of other concerns voiced at the meeting were linked to upcoming garbage pickup schedule changes for residents. To combat the rat infestation across the city, trash bags put directly onto the curb would need to go outside after 8 p.m., and garbage cans with lids would go out after 6 p.m. The new rules won’t go into effect until next year.
One of the civic association’s major efforts this year was its battle to prevent the installation of Citi Bike stations within the district.
Tony Nunziato, president of the JPCA, along with JPCA Secretary Christina Wilkinson, continued to press the issue during the Dec. 8 meeting.
“Back in the days, the silent killer everyone said was the heart attack. Now the new silent killer is electric scooters,” Nunziato said.
Reckless electric scooter drivers on the road add onto the disdain for Citi Bikes and worry residents on busy roads and sidewalks, according to Nunziato.
At the end of the meeting, attendees began the holiday celebration with food and beverages.
The JPCA is expected to celebrate its 85th anniversary next year.
