Hundreds rally to make Jackson Heights’
34th Avenue Open Street permanent
Photo by Dean Moses
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.COM | OCT. 30-NOV. 5, 2020 25
BY ANGÉLICA ACEVEDO
Hundreds of families and
local elected officials gathered
at the widely popular
34th Avenue Open Street in
Jackson Heights, with a mission
to demand Mayor Bill de
Blasio and the Department of
Transportation (DOT) keep
the COVID-19 program permanent,
on Saturday, Oct. 24.
At the event, during which
several Queens and city
elected officials showed their
support of the idea, they also
called for the Open Street on
34th Avenue to be extended to
114th Street in Corona.
For many families in a
community that became
the “epicenter of the epicenter”
during the height of the
COVID-19 pandemic, the 34th
Avenue Open Street served
as a lifeline — especially in
a district ranked fifth to last
in per capita park space compared
to other districts in
the city, according to a 2019
report by NYC Comptroller
Scott Stringer.
Dawn Siff, a member of
the 34th Avenue Open Streets
Coalition and co-organizer of
Saturday’s rally, said this is
the moment to “radically reimagine
our streets and who
they are for.”
“If we don’t seize this moment
to reclaim space for our
families, for our children, for
our elderly, shame on us,” said
Siff. “The 34th Avenue Open
Street has changed lives in
our community and it is made
possible by dozens and dozens
of volunteers and by all the
members of our community
who use it every day, and will
not rest until it is permanent
and extended.”
The march and rally was
hosted by 34th Ave Open
Streets Coalition, with the
Queens Activist Committee of
Transportation Alternatives.
Juan Restrepo, Queens
organizer for Transportation
Alternatives, said more than
1,600 community members
have already signed their
petition to make the 34th Avenue
Open Street permanent
and extend it to Flushing
Meadows Corona Park.
“The 34th Avenue Open
Street is the crown jewel of
New York City’s open street
program,” said Restrepo. “We
look forward to collaborating
with the community and all
the elected officials in support
of this project to make
those goals happen.”
34th Avenue runs from
Woodside, through Jackson
Heights toward Corona. The
1.3-mile stretch is home to
more than half a dozen local
public schools, including P.S.
398, I.S. 145, I.S. 230, P.S. 149,
P.S. 280 and P.S. 212.
The rally featured speeches
from Jackson Heights
elected officials, including
state Senator Jessica Ramos,
Assembly member Catalina
Cruz, Assembly candidate
Jessica González-Rojas and
Councilman Danny Dromm.
“I am proud to have worked
closely with the NYC DOT
and the de Blasio administration
to ensure the permanent
closure of 34th Avenue,” said
Dromm. “Certain details of
what the street will eventually
look like remain to be ironed
out and the DOT has assured
me that community input will
be given high priority for the
redesign of the avenue. I want
to thank the DOT Commissioner
Polly Trottenberg and
all the advocates Dawn Siff,
Nuala O’Doherty, Jim Burke
and many others, along with
fellow elected officials Senator
Jessica Ramos, Assembly
member Catalina Cruz,
and Democratic Nominee for
AD34 Jessica Gonzáles-Rojas,
who worked with me to help
make this dream come true
for our community.”
Other City Council members
also attended the rally
and march, including Council
members Carlina Rivera,
Donovan Richards, Jimmy
Van Bramer and Brad Lander.
Community members then
marched from 34th Avenue
and Junction Boulevard to
Travers Park.
“Our community has always
lacked sufficient green
spaces and locations where
families can play, exercise
and spend time with their
friends and neighbors. This
was only exacerbated by the
isolation we all endured during
COVID,” said Cruz. “Having
34th Avenue be accessible
to families all around Jackson
Heights, Corona, and the surrounding
neighborhoods have
been key in keeping many of
us healthy and safe during a
very tough time.”
The day also had activities
for kids, street performers,
music and exercise classes,
as well as bake sale so participants
could experience the
flavor of 34th Avenue Open
Street.
Dasia Iannoli, a 7-yearold
resident of 34th Avenue
in Jackson Heights, said she
loves 34th Avenue’s Open
Street.
“I live on 34th Avenue and
I love Open Streets because
I get to bicycle and play and
roller skate and scoot and
play soccer and basketball
and tennis and badminton
with my friends and stay safe.
34th Ave. is the best place to
be,” said Iannoli. “Please keep
34th Ave. open.”
On Oct. 23, the DOT said
the city will keep the 34th
Avenue Open Street program
going while they look into a
plan for its “long-term” transformation.
The DOT revealed it will
present a plan to keep the
street permanent at a Community
Board 3 committee on
Wednesday, Oct. 28, according
to Streetsblog.
Ramos, a fierce advocate
for the 34th Avenue Open
Street program, said the city
needs to “transform the way
we are using our streets.”
“Streets are for people, not
cars! The more we talk about
climate change and how to
better protect our communities,
we must begin taking
concrete steps to reverse car
culture. Making 34th Avenue
Open Streets permanent and
extending it further is step
number one,” said Ramos.
“I am also here as a resident
and mother to say that 34th
Avenue Open Street changed
my life. It allowed me and my
kids to practice and learn how
to bike in a safe space. Honored
to stand with just about
every community activist in
our district to call upon the
mayor to make it official and
keep 34th Avenue open for our
families.”
/QNS.COM
