16 THE QUEENS COURIER • AUGUST 31, 2017 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
‘Vigilante dogs’ honored in Ozone Park
for work to control pest population
Photo courtesy of the Offi ce of Councilman Eric Ulrich
Pols eye Belmont Park as new Eastern Queens transit hub
BY ROBERT POZARYCKI
rpozarycki@qns.com / @robbpoz
Th e Long Island Rail Road’s “summer
of hell” may have given commuters
in eastern Queens a glimpse at what
might be a new transportation heaven:
Belmont Park.
Now some Queens lawmakers and their
counterparts in Nassau County want the
MTA to use Belmont Park as a permanent
park-and-ride facility, either with train
service or through express buses.
Th e racetrack on the Queens/Nassau
border was pressed into service in July
aft er the LIRR cut back daily service while
Amtrak made crucial repairs at beleaguered
Penn Station. Belmont Park’s
expansive parking lots were used as a temporary
park-and-ride for commuters to
hop on board free shuttle buses connecting
them to LIRR and subway stations in
Queens and Brooklyn. Th e Belmont Park
LIRR station, which is open on race days
at the track and was renovated prior to the
2015 racing season, and its connecting rail
line were not used during the period.
With Amtrak’s repairs scheduled to
end by Labor Day, LIRR service will be
restored to normal on Sept. 5, bringing
the Belmont Park shuttle bus service and
other contingency measures to an end.
Belmont Park reopens on Sept. 8 for its
fall racing season, and race-day train service
to the track will also be restored.
“We have a shortage of mass transit
options in Eastern Queens and Western
Nassau. Th ere is no subway service and
limited railroad service; buses are our
only form of mass transit. Commuters
could park at Belmont and take a direct
ride to Manhattan,” said Councilman
Barry S. Grodenchik.
“Our city has a great opportunity to
expand access and opportunity for the residents
of Eastern Queens and Western
Nassau,” added Congressman Gregory
Meeks. “Th e establishment of permanent
bus or railroad service at Belmont Park
would serve as an essential transit hub for
communities that have historically been
ignored by public transportation programs.”
Also supporting a permanent transit
hub at Belmont Park were state Senator
Leroy Comrie and Assembly members
Michaelle C. Solages, Clyde Vanel and
David Weprin.
Many questions surround the future
of the 450-acre Belmont Park property.
Much of it — including the grandstand,
clubhouse, stables, training facilities and
the 1 1/2-mile racing oval— will remain
in place for thoroughbred racing. Th e
New York Racing Association (NYRA) is
in the middle of a 25-year lease of the site,
and according to published reports, the
racing outfi t is looking to modernize the
entire facility with a massive renovation.
Last month, Empire State Development
announced a request for proposals to
redevelop two small parking lots serving
Belmont Park and located adjacent to
the Cross Island Parkway. Th e New York
Cosmos previously eyed one of the lots
to build a new soccer stadium, but ultimately
withdrew their bid. Now, the New
York Islanders are reportedly considering
Belmont Park as a place to build a new hockey
arena aft er leaving the Nassau Coliseum
for the Barclays Center two years ago.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons
The renovated Belmont Park Long Island Rail Road station.
BY EMILY DAVENPORT
edavenport@qns.com / @QNS
Th is one goes to the dogs.
On Monday, Aug. 28, Councilman
Eric Ulrich honored Th e Ryder’s Alley
Trencher-fed Society (R.A.T.S.) for their
work to rid the streets of Queens of pesky
vermin.
R.A.T.S. is group of vigilante dogs and
their owners who have been hunting
and killing vermin throughout New York
City for the past 25 years. Aft er hearing a
series of complaints regarding a rat problem
in the Centerville section of Ozone
Park, Councilman Ulrich called upon
the group to lend a hand to drive the
rodents out.
In recognition for the group’s service,
Ulrich presented Founder Richard
Reynolds — and the entire R.A.T.S. team
— with City Council citations, honoring
their commitment to serve and protect
vermin-infested communities. R.A.T.S.
accepts every call and doesn’t take money
for their services.
“I’d like to thank Richard Reynolds,
the R.A.T.S. team, and our fearless
furry friends for coming out to my district,”
Ulrich said. “While I hope that the
rodents in Centreville are gone for good,
I am grateful that the community — and
all of New York City — can count on the
R.A.T.S. team.”
Councilman Ulrich also made sure to
honor the pups in the hunt: Tanner,
Merlin, Rommel, Marcus, Paco, JayJay,
Lacey, Mighty, Gracie, Moz, Jiggy and
Daisy. He presented each dog with a
“Vigilante Award,” complete with dog
bones and beef jerky treats.
“We are proud of our visit to Centreville,
and would like to thank Councilman
Ulrich for inviting us to hunt in his district,”
Reynolds said. “We are truly humbled
by this honor and look forward to
collaborating with the Councilman in the
future.”
Also in attendance was Councilman
Urlich’s 8-year-old Yorkshire Terrier,
Tiny, who was made an honorary member
of R.A.T.S.
