Richmond Hill street renamed ‘Punjab
Avenue’ in honor of South Asian residents
BY DEAN MOSES
The southwest Queens
community came together
on Oct. 23 to witness the installation
of the new local
landmark as the intersection
of 101st Avenue and Lefferts
Boulevard in Richmond Hill
was officially given a new
name.
The freshly christened
Punjab Avenue comes as a
part of a celebration commemorating
the contributions
made to Queens by its
South Asian residents.
“Today is a celebration of
our great multicultural mosaic.
It is so important that
diverse communities like
ours see themselves and their
cultures represented in the
historical landscape and we
see the Punjabi community
in every corner of Richmond
Hill and our city as a whole,”
said City Councilwoman
Adrienne Adams.
Although the occasion
was joyous, Adams said as
we celebrate the ever-diverse
Queens’ area, we must also
recognize that we have all lost
loved ones due to the pandemic.
Each person represents a
part of the fabric this community,
she said before asking
that everyone in attendance
take a moment of silence to
remember those lost.
“Today is a celebration
meant to unite. We are one district.
We are one people. And
we must have unity in our entire
community,” Adams said.
The ceremony continued
with speeches from Assemblyman
David Weprin alongside
staples of the borough
including members of Queens
Community Board 9, Sikh
Cultural Society President
Jatinder Singh Boparai, and
other community leaders who
each extended their support
for the street sign unveiling.
Sikh Cultural Society Former
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.2 COM | OCT. 30-NOV. 5, 2020
President Harpreet Singh
Toor shared that the street renaming
of Punjab Avenue will
stretch from 101st Avenue up
to 223rd Avenue.
“One of the reasons why
Punjab Avenue was picked up
as a street name was because
we as a Punjabi represent a diversity
back home in Punjab
and we represent diversity
right here in Richmond Hill,”
said Toor. “This opportunity,
this dream we always carried
with us to be part of the fabric
of this amazing city,” he said.
Jenifer Rajkumar, the
Democratic nominee for State
Assembly District 38 was also
in attendance and said she
was “filled with pride.”
“I am a proud American,
and most of all I am a proud
Punjabi American. I stand
before you today as the first
Photos by Dean Moses
Punjabi soon-to-be elected to
the New York State Assembly.
I cannot think of a better way
to celebrate that than coming
here and celebrating the
opening of Punjab Avenue,”
Rajkumar said.
The event culminated with
Rajkumar joining elected officials
and community leaders
in pulling down the street
covering to reveal the brandnew
street sign.
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