Grab your brooms! The Middle Village Property Owners and Residents Association is teaming up with Assemblymember Andrew Hevesi and Senator Joseph P. Addabbo Jr. for a Metropolitan Avenue street clean-up this month.
Dozens of volunteers at the crucial clean-up effort are expected to meet on Friday, June 28, on the corner of Metropolitan Avenue and 75th Street, near the Opulence Glamour Skin Clinic.
The clean-up initiative comes to the storefronts along Metropolitan Avenue through the leadership of Paul Pogozelski, president of the Middle Village Residents Association and the Middle Village Players Roller Hockey League.
As a Middle Village resident, Pogozelski has made strides in bringing neighbors together through his work revitalizing the kids’ hockey program at the Juniper Valley Park hockey rink and advocacy at various community-based meetings.
Pogozelski said the idea of bringing a cleanup involves helping bring customers to the businesses along the avenue and beautifying the neighborhood.
“Let’s try to bring back a little more of that old town feel,” Pogozelski said, adding that bringing more foot traffic to the area should help bring more attention to the finer details.
Pogozelski said the initiative’s roots came to the streets of Middle Village after he learned about Assemblymember Andrew Hevesi’s annual month-long street cleaning events in Forest Hills.
Hevesi, who represents the neighborhoods in Assembly District 28, which includes Forest Hills, Rego Park and Middle Village, said the clean-up has been a collaborative effort since day one, and it continues to emphasize the importance of neighbors helping neighbors.
“Previous cleanups in Middle Village and across the district have had great turnout. We’re looking forward to this opportunity for neighbors, students, parents and community stakeholders to give back,” said Hevesi, thanking Pogozelski for spearheading the local event and coalescing the neighborhood for this effort.
Joining the beautification campaign is Senator Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., who also represents the neighborhood in State Senate chambers. He has contacted the Department of Sanitation on longer-term measures to promote cleanliness along the avenue, while preparing to provide aid during the clean-up event.
“Paul is great. I really admire him with all that he’s done.” Addabbo shared. “As an elected official, we really look to those individuals who want to give back to their neighborhood.”
Pogozelski hopes to visit business owners along Metropolitan Avenue for their support and help during the clean-up at the end of the month. There is also a chance some businesses could receive specially made citations from Addabbo and Hevesi for their outstanding work in keeping their storefronts tidy.
Volunteers are still welcome to sign up and should contact Assemblymember Hevesi’s office over the phone at (718)-263-5595 or email hevesia@nyassembly.gov.
