By Christina Wilkinson

This past November, every elected official that represents Maspeth signed onto a letter from Council Member Elizabeth Crowley to State Department of Parks Commissioner Carol Ash requesting that money from the Environmental Protection Fund be put toward the acquisition of the St. Saviour’s site.

While the electeds were waiting to hear back from the state, the residents in the vicinity of the site listed amenities that they would like to see at the proposed park site.  A rendering was created based on their input and is pictured above.  Their goal is to have a passive park with a playground for children up to 10 years old.

Ms. Ash responded to the letter from Crowley in February.  She said that the project would be eligible for monies from the part of the fund that applies to creation of parkland in underserved urban areas, but that Governor David Paterson removed those funds from his budget proposal for the upcoming year.  Cuts to the Environmental Protection Fund also threaten zoos, botanical gardens and aquaria.  Some state parks are threatened with closure.

The State Assembly circulated a letter asking that Governor Paterson reinstate all of the $222M to the Environmental Protection Fund.  Assembly Members Markey and Hevesi were among the many assemblypersons who signed it.

During the Great Depression, many new parks were created.  But back then, there was a lot more open space than there is now.  It would be a shame to lose the opportunity to create new parkland in Maspeth, especially since there is hardly any open land left upon which to do so.

As budget negotiations continue, we urge all our elected officials to fight to restore these funds.  Present and future generations of Maspeth are counting on you.

When: Saturday, February 27th, 2010, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm

Where: Maspeth library 69-70 Grand Ave

What: Senator Joe Addabbo will be at Maspeth library to meet with local residents to discuss any issues they have. No appointment is necessary.

NY1 VIDEO: City officials said Tuesday they hope to have a plan in place by fall to eliminate truck traffic along a heavily congested section of Grand Avenue in Maspeth.

Click here to watch story.

COMET will be hosting COP104 at Maspeth Town Hall on Wednesday, February 17th, 2010 at 7:30pm.  Please come out to hear from police representatives and voice your concerns.

NY1 VIDEO: The latest Queens Person of the Week is a Catholic deacon in Maspeth who survived nasal cancer and then decided to devote his life to the church and to serve the homeless and needy.

Click here to watch video.

The Newtown Historical Society will be presenting a free lecture and slideshow about the historic Newtown Pippin apple at the First Presbyterian Church of Newtown located at Queens Blvd & 54th Avenue in Elmhurst, on Sunday, February 21st, 2010 at 12:30pm.  The venue was the site of a planting in 2002 which brought the apple back to its area of origin for the first time since the early 19th century.  The presentation will explain the history of the apple in Queens and the new replanting project that has been underway for the past year.  Speakers will include Bob Singleton, Vice President of the Greater Astoria Historical Society, Erik Baard, Co-founder of the Newtown Pippin Project, and Marjorie Melikian, Historian for the First Presbyterian Church of Newtown.  Council Member James Gennaro’s 2009 resolution calling for recognition of the Newtown Pippin as the official apple of the City of New York will also be discussed and samples of the apples will be available for tasting.  For more information, please call the Newtown Historical Society at 718-366-3715 or e-mail newtownhistory@gmail.com.

Senator Addabbo will host a community discussion in Maspeth tomorrow evening, February 11, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Maspeth Town Hall, 53-37 72nd St. Addabbo says the visit is “for residents in the northern portion of my district” who can’t easily meet with him at his Howard Beach district office. Topics of discussion will be “whatever issues that concerns people the most”. He expects those will include jobs, transportation, education, public safety, sanitation, the new voting machines, the 2010-2011 budget, the 2010 census and seniors and veterans matters.

Mary Arnold and Mary Parisen from CURES - Civics United for Railroad and Environmental Solutions - attended a recent COMET meeting and discussed pollution problems in our area caused by freight trains. The presentation included an informative slide show, Particulate pollution is a serious health problem in all of western Queens and one goal is to get the railroads to use cleaner technology.