Frank M. Charles Memorial Park in Old Howard
Beach receives a community-based makeover
BY BILL PARRY
Frank M. Charles Memorial
Park in Old Howard Beach
received a much-needed facelift
thanks to City Councilman
Eric Ulrich and a number of
community groups.
The park, located along
Jamaica Bay in the Gateway
National Recreation Area,
had upgrades made on its entrance,
central pathway and
handball courts.
“It is important that we
continue to invest in our public
parks, which play such a
vital role in our communities,
especially for our youth,” Ulrich
said. “I’d like to thank the
Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks
Conservancy, the Charles
Park Conservation Society,
Wildcat and NPS for their continued
partnership in this initiative.”
Earlier this year, Ulrich invested
$45,000 toward a number
of improvements to the
federally-owned park. Work
Frank M. Charles Memorial Park in Old Howard Beach has had some restoration work done in phases.
began in the summer with the
removal of 15,000-square-feet
of turf along the park’s central
pathway and, with the help of
volunteers. Was transformed
into a living landscape with
9,000 new plantings complete
with an array of perennials.
“The central pathway and
entrance to Frank M. Charles
Memorial Park has been completely
transformed. This
spring, over 9,000 plants will
come to life, offering multiple
seasons on interest,” Jamaica
Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy
Executive Director Alex
Zablocki said. “This publicprivate
partnership quickly
resulted in positive changes
for the park, its users and the
Howard Beach community.
Photo courtesy of Alex Zablocki
The popular basketball and
handball courts have been improved,
and early next year,
the Conservancy will complete
this multi-phase project
by reimagining the horseshoe
court.”
Two patios were installed
near the entrance of the park
to allow better access to the
pollinator gardens. JBRPC
also installed new nets at the
basketball court and the popular
handball court was rehabilitated
and painted in partnership
with Wildcat.
The park has come a long
way since 2015, when two
Howard Beach sisters, Sherri
Volkes and Debra McCann,
created an online petition calling
on the National Parks Service
to clean up the waterfront
space which they said was neglected
and unsafe.
“It’s been a tremendous
partnership,” Gateway National
Recreation Area Superintendent
Jen Nresian said. “We
thank the Councilman for his
support, and working together
with the conservancy and local
community members, we
look forward to seeing this
park continue to improve and
shine.”
Reach reporter Bill Parry by
e-mail at bparry@schnepsmedia.
com or by phone at (718)
260–4538.
old-fashioned comfort in every bite
cheesecake
sandwiches®
FREE!!
Petit Pound Cake
with $10 purchase in store with ad
Come visit our retail store and enjoy any or all of our 20 flavors,
along with our freshly baked goods
12-40 Clintonville Street · Whitestone, NY 11357
Monday–Saturday 11am - 8pm • Sunday 11am - 4pm
grandmascheesecakesandwiches.com
bake shop, holiday gift baskets, ship anywhere, etc.
TIMESLEDGER,36 NOV. 29-DEC. 5, 2019 QNS.COM
link
link
link
/grandmascheesecakesandwiches.com
/QNS.COM
