FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.queenscourier.com MARCH 28, 2013 • THE QUEENS COURIER 39 oped HALL OF SHAME street talk What do you think about the installation of speeding cameras? Incidents of graffi ti have risen. The Courier invites you, our readers, to submit photos of vandalism — or addresses where you see graffi ti — for our “Hall of Shame.” Conversely, if a home or business has “cleaned up their act,” submit them for induction into our “Hall of Fame.” Send all high resolution JPG images (300 DPI) to [email protected] with a location and a contact number. Otherwise, contact us at 38-15 Bell Boulevard, Bayside, NY 11361. Help us take our borough back from the vandals! I think it will be better but it might cause a lot of traffi c which we defi nitely don’t need. Nicole Reider BY ADJANI SHAH I think it’s a great idea. It’s very dangerous being a pedestrian…I have to be very careful. It would be a lot safer. Eleanor Megna I think that’s kind of unethical. They should catch you in the act if you’re doing something wrong. I don’t drive so it wouldn’t affect me. Emily Allen That’s a good thing for security; it’s good for everybody. It means feweraccidents I think because everyone is scared of the cameras. Carlos Sevilla I think it will make people drive more carefully but cause more traffi c and accidents. Alexa Tanney No, I think it’s a silly idea. Over 10miles per hour they will hit you with a $25 ticket; it’s ridiculous. I don’t think it’s fair. Joe Ortega t’s good. It’s safe. There are a bunch of people on the road, they will catch people who run red lights, meaning fewer fatalities. Michael Souza Enough Delays - Let’s Clean Up Willets Point BY MARCIA BYSTRYN At a recent meeting of the Queens Housing Coalition, a major developer outlined a commitment to privately fi nance the cleanup of a massive 23-acre Brownfi eld at Willets Point. Amazingly, there were some who questioned the existence of contamination and the need for remediation. The hard truth is that Willets Point has been a toxic dumping ground for nearly 100 years. In addition to a lack of sewers, there is widespread petroleum contamination, with additional potential contamination from paints, cleaning solvents, and automotive fl uids. Some of the problems persist today, as existing businesses operate with almost no regulation. Imagine people spray-painting cars without taking air quality precautions or changing oil with no regard for safe disposal procedures! Further exacerbating these environmental hazards is a high water table that spreads pollution throughout the Willets Point site. This means that as contaminants continue to fester in the soil and groundwater, nearby Flushing Creek and Flushing Bay become dirtier and more dangerous by the day. Brownfi elds are a serious impediment to redeveloping a property, making them the target of a number of federal and state programs. But their potential to endanger public health and contaminate groundwater, surface water and soils is a far greater concern. Without action, Willets Point will in all likelihood remain an unusable, contaminated public health hazard. The time has come to transform Willets Point from a toxic wasteland into an environmentally conscious, 21st century community. In an area that is clamoring for open space and recreational opportunities, the cleanup and redevelopment of Willets Point means that the waterfront on Flushing Creek and Flushing Bay will fi nally become safe and accessible to the community. This is also a great opportunity to redesign Willets Point in a smarter and more holistic manner. Willets Point is close to the No. 7 train, so people can leave their cars at home more often. And it’s near major highways, meaning that people can get in and out of the neighborhood quickly without further straining traffi c in downtown Flushing. The development will also create approximately 12,000 construction jobs and 7,100 permanent jobs, as well as lead to a $3 billion private investment. This is clearly a redevelopment project where the economic and environmental benefi ts work hand-in-hand to improve the health, well-being and vibrancy of the neighborhood - and for the entire borough of Queens. Marcia Bystryn is president of the New York League of Conservation Voters, a statewide environmental organization. VISIT QueensCourier.com TELL US WHAT YOU THINK... 212 Street and Hillside Avenue I think it’s good because people drive too fast. It’s a good thing to have. If it saves lives and makes the city money, why not? Jimmy Guobis
QC03282013
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