Koo gets $20M in funding
District 20 will get boost to schools, libraries, cultural centers
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
City Councilman Peter
Koo announced on June
19 $20 million in budget
victories that will be
used to improve libraries,
playgrounds, schools, cultural
institutions and organizations
in Flushing.
Koo, who represents
Council District 20, secured
the funding from the Fiscal
Year 2020 budget for new
capital and expense projects
in partnership with City
Council Speaker Corey
Johnson, Queens Borough
President Melinda Katz, the
Queens Council delegation,
and the Black, Latino and
Asian Caucus.
Securing the critical
resources for the community
will directly improve many
neighborhood amenities and
the overall quality-of-life in
the district, said Koo.
“This year, I fought for
new capital and programming
funding for our libraries,
schools, parks, and other
critical infrastructure, and
I am especially proud that I
was able to work closely with
the Speaker, the Borough
President and my colleagues
in the Council to direct
this funding to important
improvements right here in
Flushing,” said Koo.
One of those important
improvements to Koo is
upgrading multiple libraries
throughout Flushing,
which he was able to secure
$2.7 million.
“Modern libraries provide
so much more than simple book
borrowing so that they act as
hyperlocal community centers
for each of our neighborhoods,”
said Koo. “It is important
that we support, maintain
and expand these critical
community institutions.”
Visitors will be able to
relax at a new Cooling Center
at the Main Street Flushing
Library and Mitchell-Linden
Library, located at 31-32 Union
St., will be expanded and
undergo exterior upgrades. A
new roof will be installed at
McGoldrick Library, located
at 155-06 Roosevelt Ave.
As the newly appointed
Chair of the NYC Council
Committee on Parks and
Recreation, Koo secured $5.5
million for a full renovation
of Bland Playground, located
in the heart of downtown
Flushing on 40th Road and
City Councilman Peter Koo File photo
Prince Street. The playground
is a popular location for youth
basketball and handball, but
the playground equipment is
in need of upgrades to better
serve families with young
children in the community.
Other highlights from this
year’s budget include new
technology and playground
upgrades coming to area
schools, lighting and security
cameras for NYCHA residents,
restoration of historical
landmarks in Flushing, and
funding for 87 organizations
in the community.
Education
As in previous years,
some of Koo’s largest funding
allocations went to capital
improvements for schools in
his council district, totaling
$2.2 million for Fiscal Year
2020. This year, there will be
technology upgrades at PS
20, PS 120, PS 162, PS 214, PS
242, PS 244 and Queens High
School for Language Studies.
Other improvments include
security cameras for PS 22,
supplemental cooling in PS 24,
auditorium upgrades in PS 16,
playground upgrades at PS 177,
HVAC upgrades at JHS 189,
Flushing International High
School, IS 237 and East/West
School, auditorium upgrades
at Flushing High School and
Veritas Academy, athletic field
upgrades at Francis Lewis
High School, and bathroom
upgrades at Queens Academy
High School.
Public Safety
A total of $300,000 in
funding will be used for new
LED lighting at NYCHA Bland
Houses to improve the safety
and quality-of-life at night for
residents and pedestrians.
Additionally, Koo secured
$200,000 for the CCTV system
at NYCHA’s Latimer Gardens
Senior Center.
Historical Preservation
Over $4 million will be
used for historical landmarks
in Flushing. The basement of
the Queens Historical Society,
located in the landmarked
Kingsland Homestead,
will undergo a $1.7 million
restoration. Also, $1.3 million
in capital funding will go
toward the renovations at
the historic landmarked
Bowne House. The Flushing
Council and Culture and
the Arts, which is based in
the landmarked Flushing
Town Hall, will receive $1.2
million.
Lastly, from his personal
discretionary funding, Koo
secured $710,000 in nonprofit
expense funding
for 87 community-based
organizations to continue
providing important services
to the Flushing community,
including the Korean
American Family Service
Center, New York Asian
Women’s Center, Flushing
Jewish Community Council,
South Asian Council for
Social Services, Guardians of
Flushing Bay, and more.
Reach reporter Carlotta
Mohamed by email at
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.
com or by phone at (718) 260–4526.
Photo via Shutterstock
Thieves ambush victim
in Alley Pond Park
BY JENNA BAGCAL
A trio of thieves ambushed
a man in Alley Pond Park
early Tuesday morning,
according to police.
Police from the 111th
Precinct reported that just
after midnight on June 18, a
21-year-old man was standing
outside of his parked car
using his cellphone at
Kingsbury Avenue and Grand
Central Parkway.
A few moments later,
three men, one of which the
victim knew, approached
him and dragged him into the
park. One suspect allegedly
struck the victim on the
head with a glass liquor
bottle. Police said a second
suspect attempted to stab the
victim with a switchblade but
was unsuccessful.
The three men stole $200
in cash, a pair of Adidas
sneakers and glasses. They
then got into a gray Toyota
Camry and fled in an
unknown direction.
Cops reported that the
victim sustained an injury to
the head but refused medical
attention at the scene.
No arrests have been
made and the investigation is
ongoing. The victim said that
the suspects were wearing
dark clothes at the time of
the incident.
Anyone with information
in regard to the suspects’
identities is asked to call
the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers
Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS
(8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-
57-PISTA (76782). All calls are
kept confidential.
Reach reporter Jenna
Bagcal by email at jbagcal@
qns.com or by phone at (718)
224-5863 ext. 214.
Alley Pond Park Photo credit: 111th Precinct
QNS.COM TIMESLEDGER, JUNE 28, 2019 3
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