8 THE QUEENS COURIER • FEBRUARY 17, 2022 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
Ribbon-cutting ceremony marks the completion
of $5.5 million Broad Channel Resiliency Project
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Queens elected offi cials and community
leaders joined representatives from
the Governor’s Offi ce of Storm Recovery
(GOSR) on Th ursday, Feb. 10, to cut the
red ribbon on the completed $5.5 million
in resiliency upgrades in Broad Channel, a
low-lying island in Jamaica Bay.
Queens Borough President Donovan
Richards, Senator Joseph Addabbo and
Assemblywoman Stacey Pheff er Amato
joined Lieutenant Gov. Brian Benjamin
and GOSR’s Executive Director Katie
Brenan, for the ribbon-cutting at the Broad
Channel Athletic Club, located at 125 Cross
Bay Blvd.
“Our climate is changing, and major
storms are more frequent, as we were
reminded earlier this fall when Ida wreaked
havoc in Queens and across New York.
Th rough our community-driven grassroots
process, GOSR is helping to ensure
these vital community centers
remain the safe spaces
that Broad Channel residents
depend on and that they are
able to provide critical resources
and recovery assistance in
the event of the next storm,”
Brenan said.
GOSR’s project includes
major enhancements to make
the Broad Channel American
Legion Hall Post 1404 and
Broad Channel Athletic Club,
two crucial community centers
that aided in recovery eff orts
following Superstorm Sandy
in October 2021, better able to withstand
future storms and emergency events.
With the completion of the Broad
Channel Resiliency Project, Governor
Kathy Hochul said south Queens and the
area’s vital community centers will be “safer
and better able to provide the services New
Yorkers need when disaster strikes.”
Th e project was a culmination of city,
state, and federal partners coming together
to address the devastation that Superstorm
Sandy once wreaked on New Yorkers,
Benjamin said.
“Climate change is here, and one of its
most devastating impacts is the eff ect of
rising storms on neighborhoods like Broad
Channel. With this $5.5 million investment,
the state can better ensure the protection
of critical community organizations,
including the Broad Channel Athletic Club
and American Legion Hall,” Benjamin said.
Broad Channel, the only inhabited island
in Jamaica Bay, is prone to fl ooding and
was one of the most severely impacted
areas by Superstorm Sandy. Th e community
experienced the loss of life, housing and
infrastructure.
Bridges connecting Broad Channel to the
mainland of Queens were closed, which left
many residents stranded on the island as
it was enveloped by storm surges as high
as six feet and by backdoor fl ooding from
the Rockaway Inlet. During the storm, the
American Legion Hall and Athletic Club
served as crucial gathering points for residents
to assist one another and distribute
food and supplies — despite damages the
storm infl icted on these facilities.
Key elements of GOSR’s resiliency
investment include:
• Installation of permanent backup
power generators that are elevated above
fl ood level at both facilities. Th e generators
will automatically start functioning when
needed and are equipped with fl ood venting
and leak detection.
• Construction of a new building at the
Athletic Club with meeting space, storage
capacity and power equipment to
enable the facility to provide outdoor relief
services.
• Installation of fl ood-resistant doors at
the Legion Hall as well as elevated mechanical
and electrical systems to help avoid
outages during fl ooding events.
• Upgrades to the heating, ventilation,
and air conditioning system at the Legion
Hall so that the facility can act as a heating/
cooling center for the community during
extreme weather conditions.
Th e project was completed in partnership
with the Dormitory Authority of the
State of New York (DASNY).
DASNY President and CEO Reuben
McDaniel III said they’re proud to collaborate
with GOSR on the Broad Channel
project, as well as those around the state,
that are critical for protecting and rebuilding
areas impacted by severe weather.
“We’re grateful to Governor Hochul for
her continued support of this important
initiative and her commitment to strengthening
communities all across New York,”
McDaniel said.
Queens lawmakers applauded Hochul
and the government agencies that worked
to advance the Broad Channel Resiliency
Project.
“New York City continues to experience
severe weather events hitting areas like
Jamaica Bay hard,” Congressman Gregory
Meeks said. “I applaud Governor Hochul
for the completion of the GOSR project,
which will help Jamaica Bay better withstand
future storms.”
Read more on QNS.com.
With this $5.5 million
investment, the state can
better ensure the protection
of critical community
organizations, including the
Broad Channel Athletic Club
and American Legion Hall.
— Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin
Photo courtesy of GOSR
GOSR’s Executive Director Katie Brenan speaks about the agency’s completion of the Broad Channel
Resiliency Project.
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