Francis Lewis Park to get long-awaited makeover
$2 million in city funds set aside for renovations including pathway repavings and updates
BY JENNA BAGCAL
A Whitestone park
will get some long-awaited
improvements thanks in
part to funding from a
Queens councilman.
As part of the nearly $19
million Councilman Paul
Vallone secured in capital
funding, the lawmaker
announced that he and the
City Council had allocated $2
million for improvements at
Francis Lewis Park. Vallone
secured this funding for
northeast Queens as part
of the $92.8 billion budget
agreement between Mayor de
Blasio and the City Council
back in June.
The councilman’s office
allocated $300,000 and
partnered with Speaker
Corey Johnson to allocate
an additional $1.7 million.
The funding will go toward
improvements including
pathway repavings and
updates to the 3rd Avenue
entrance of the park as well as
the Veterans Memorial.
“I am thrilled to announce
this funding allocation, which
will go a long way to improve
one of northeast Queens’
waterfront gems,” said
Vallone. “Access to our public
spaces is an integral part of
ensuring sustained quality
of life in Northeast Queens. I
thank Speaker Johnson for his
partnership, and I know these
improvements will be enjoyed
by families in northeast
Queens for years to come!”
Johnson added, “The people
of northeast Queens deserve
nothing less than a first-class
park, and that’s exactly what
they are going to get with this
funding,” said Speaker Corey
Johnson. “Council Member
Vallone is a true advocate
for his district, and it was a
pleasure to work with him
during this budget process to
help his constituents. I can’t
Francis Lewis Park in Whitestone Photo credit: NYC Parks
wait to see the final results.”
According to Vallone’s
office, he will meet with
community leaders this
winter to discuss the scope
of the upgrades to Francis
Lewis Park.
“We are beyond excited to
be so generously included in
the City’s budget,” said Dorian
Colucci Mecir, co-president
of Friends of Francis Lewis
Park. “We are grateful to
Council Member Vallone and
the City Council for their
support of these important
improvements for the crown
jewel of our neighborhood.
The repair and beautification
of Francis Lewis Park will
bring joy and recreation to the
community for many years
to come.”
The Whitestone park was
named after Francis Lewis,
an American merchant and
a signer of the Declaration
of Independence. In 1937, the
Parks Department acquired
the land from the private
estate of Edwin H. Brown and
transformed it into a public
recreational space.
“As the President of The
Greater Whitestone Taxpayers
Civic Association, I would
like to thank Councilman
Vallone for all he has done for
our community,” said Kim
Cody. “With this additional $2
million investment in Francis
Lewis Park, once again he
has worked diligently on
behalf of the community.
Though we appreciate all
the areas he is scheduling
for upgrades, I believe the
Monument in Francis Lewis
Park being upgraded has
been long overdue. On behalf
of all our members and all of
the residents of Whitestone,
thank you.”
Over the past 27 years,
Francis Lewis Park has
received several renovations
and upgrades. In 1992, the park
received a $466,000 upgrade
to reconstruct the shoreline,
overlook and embankment
areas to correct and prevent
severe erosion. In 1999, former
Queens Borough President
Claire Shulman advocated
for the installation of a
bocce court.
In April 2019, Whitestone
resident Jonathan Salazar saw
the completion of the park’s
own Little Free Library, a
take and return public book
system he had been pushing
since 2018.
“Francis Lewis Park
is the crown jewel of our
community,” said We Love
Whitestone Civic President
Alfredo Centola. “We Love
Whitestone, along with
Friends of Francis Lewis
Park, have been discussing
upgrades with Councilman
Vallone that would enhance
our crown jewel. We are
pleased to be part of this
process and look forward
to the final product to be
enjoyed by our community for
years to come. We thank the
Councilman for securing the
funds to make this happen.”
Reach reporter Jenna
Bagcal by email at jbagcal@
qns.com or by phone at (718)
260-2583.
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