28 The QUEE NS Courier • OCTOBER 22, 2015 for breaking news visit www.qns.com Governor’s Ball creators petition against planned Flushing Meadows Park festival BY ANGELA MATUA amatua@queenscourier.com/@AngelaMatua The creators of Governor’s Ball, the independent music festival started in 2011, are fighting back against monolith AEG Live for what they are calling an “aggressive, greedy attempt” to put the festival out of business. AEG Live is petitioning city officials to use Flushing Meadows Corona Park as a venue for a weekend-long music festival, titled “Panorama.” The festival would take place only two weeks after Governor’s Ball, which is held at Randall’s Island during the first week of June. The festival’s founders created a petition on change.org on Thursday, calling for supporters to ask Mayor Bill de Blasio to reject AEG Live’s proposal and force them to hold the festival at another time. “As a small, independent company in an industry dominated by major corporations and rapid consolidation, we’ve come a long way and given hundreds of thousands of you first-class entertainment,” the petition read. “Sadly, today our future is in jeopardy and we need your help.” The founders added that AEG Live is attempting to push a company “of born and bred New Yorkers out of business and out of the market.” Queens Borough President Melinda Katz said AEG Live has contacted her about their proposal EAST ELMHURST TO WELCOME FIRST DOG RUN, UPGRADES TO OVERLOOK PARK BY ANGELA MATUA amatua@queenscourier.com/@AngelaMatua East Elmhurst dogs and their owners will have new and improved places to play. Councilwoman Julissa Ferreras and Assemblyman Jeffrion Aubrey announced on Oct. 14 that the Parks Department will invest a total of $3.2 million for renovations at Overlook Park, including the creation of the neighborhood’s first dog run. The dog run, which received $1.5 million from the Parks Department’s capital funds, will be located at the corner of Ditmars Boulevard and 94th Street. East Elmhurst residents currently have to travel three or more miles to access dog-friendly spaces like Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Sherry Park in Woodside and the Jackson Heights Canine Recreation Wonderland. Overlook Park, located near the proposed dog park on 97th Street and Ditmars Boulevard, will receive $1.7 million worth of upgrades including upgraded play equipment, benches, fences and improvements to the sidewalk. The Parks Department will also prune and clear trees and plant new greenery. “So many residents of East Elmhurst made a home here and have remained for decades despite the noise and air pollution,” Councilwoman Ferreras-Copeland said. “They really deserve wellkept public spaces near their homes that allow them to enjoy leisurely time with their families and pets outdoors.” Though the dog run was a popular project during the 2015 participatory budget meetings, it was knocked off the ballot when projects such as smartboards for a local school, LED lights on Roosevelt Avenue, and police cameras on 102nd Street in Corona were introduced, according to Ferreras-Copeland. The official date for construction of the two projects has not been set. and a spokesperson for Katz said the borough president has “significant concerns” about renting public parkland for paid-admission events, noting that it has never been done in Queens. “In the absence of official policy on the matter, Borough President Katz is in ongoing discussions with the administration to develop a policy that includes public input, accounts for the adverse and residual impacts on the surrounding neighborhoods, and one that makes sense for Queens and for the city,” said Sharon Lee, spokesperson for Katz. As of press time, the petition had almost 8,000 supporters. AEG Live did not respond to The Courier’s request for comment.
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