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until the following year, Jan. 20, 1860, that the water works became fully operational. Recycling the reservoir For nearly 100 years, the Ridgewood Reservoir provided Brooklyn residents with all the water they needed to drink, cook, clean and bathe. It would outlive the City of Brooklyn itself, which was incorporated into Greater New York City in 1898. After New York City connected its water system— which supplies water from reservoirs upstate—to Brooklyn, the Ridgewood Reservoir became redundant. It was rendered a backup water supply in 1959, and taken completely out of the city’s water system 40 years later. The basins were drained and the site was left dormant for 25 years, allowing the reservoir to naturally reforest itself. Eleven years ago, the city Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) transferred ownership of the reservoir to the Parks Department for future development as parkland. Several years later, then- Mayor Michael Bloomberg outlined a master plan which would have transformed the Ridgewood Reservoir and neighboring Highland Park into one of eight “regional parks” across the city. Initial plans called for one of the three reservoir basins to be cleared and developed into new athletic fields and park space. As much as $50 million in city funds were initially allocated for this endeavor. Residents, environmentalists and other civic activists fought the proposal, claiming that development plans would harm the reservoir’s fragile ecology created over the previous two decades. The Great Recession of 2007- 09 caused financial distress in the city, forcing the $50 million reservoir revitalization plan to be tabled indefinitely. The Parks Department, however, received funds in recent years to renovate the perimeter pathways and a causeway between two of the three basins. Though the Parks Department proposed further renovations at the Ridgewood Reservoir last year, none of the plans are funded as of this issue. However, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is in the process of considering declaring the reservoir as a natural wetland, which—if declared—would inhibit substantial development at the location. It would seem that the Ridgewood Reservoir truly has come full circle. A device that once brought a taste of nature to a city now has come back to nature itself. If you have any stories or photographs of Our Neighborhood that you would like to share with our readers, please write to the Old Timer, c/o Times Newsweekly, P.O. Box 863299, Ridgewood, N.Y. 11386, or send an email to neighborhood@timesnewsweekly .com. Any print photographs mailed to us will be carefully returned to you. The Old Timer -CONTINUED FROM PG. <NONE>- News From The Queens Tourism Council at the Movies: Mary Poppins, 7:30 p.m. Sing out loud and watch one of the most beloved movie musicals of all time as part of a one-of-a-kind, interactive, family-oriented film series. $5. Queensborough Performing Arts Center, 222-05 56th Ave., Bayside, www.visitQPAC.org. • Saturday, Jan. 24, Martin Luther King Jr. Book Event, 1 p.m. At this New York Council for the Humanities Community Conversations for Kids Workshop, Karyn Balan guides children and their family members through Doreen Rappaport’s book, “Martin’s Big Words,” followed by a discussion. Free. Queens Historical Society, 143-35 37th Ave., Flushing, www.queenshistoricalsociety .org. • Saturday, Jan. 24, Opening for Ying Nung Ma’s Touch of New York, 2 p.m. In this first solo exhibition, Ma’s photographs capture the excitement and energy of New York’s iconic sites and document its people and events. The show runs until Mar. 22, but on this day, the public is invited to meet the artist during a reception including a musical interlude by Hsiao-Pei Ma, an accomplished flautist and the photographer’s daughter. Free. Voelker Orth Museum, Bird Sanctuary and Victorian Garden, 149-19 38th Ave., Flushing, www.vomuseum.org. • Saturday, Jan. 24, Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook, runs through Mar. 30. This exhibition showcases more than 20 pieces spanning two decades of the artist's career. It’s this Thai artist’s first major exhibition in the U.S. $3-$5. Sculpture Center, 44-19 Purves St., LIC, www.sculpture-center.org. • Saturday, Jan. 24, International Children’s Film Festival, runs through Feb. 8. The nation’s largest film festival for children and teens. $6-$12. Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35th Ave., Kaufman Arts District, www.movingimage.us. • Sunday, Jan. 25, Hip Hop Championship, 2 to 5 p.m. The world's first professional B-boy sports competition in the history of breakdancing. $50 - $95. Queens Theatre, 14 United Nations Ave. S., Flushing Meadows Corona Park, www.queenstheatre.org. • Sunday, Jan. 25, Winter Wearable Hacking, 10:30 a.m. Transform a winter wearable into dazzling gear to wear all winter long. $5-$8. New York Hall of Science, 47-01 111th St., Corona, www.nysci.org. • Sunday, Jan. 25, Frozen Follies: Winter Classic Cartoons, 2 p.m. Watch animated cartoons from the 1920s and 1930s projected on 16mm film. Local preservationist-animation historian Tom Stathes has a program of winter fun with a cast of human and animal characters enjoying the cold months. $5/free for children under age 3. The Voelker Orth Museum, Bird Sanctuary, and Victorian Garden, 149-19 38th Ave., Flushing, vomuseum.org. • Sunday, Jan. 25, Ayurvedic Wellness Workshop, 4 to 6 p.m. Shweta Parmar trained with Ayurvedic Vaidyas and institutions in south India. She teaches the health benefits of proper food combination, digestion, and elimination. $35. Yumcha Yoga, 33-59 Farrington St., Flushing, www.yumchayoga.com. • Monday, Jan. 26, The Moth StorySLAM, 7 p.m. Open to anyone with a true story to share on the night’s posted theme: state lines and personal boundaries. When the doors open, storyteller hopefuls put their names in The Moth Hat. A half hour later, names are picked, and storytellers take the stage. Each person has just five minutes. Ten featured stories are scored by teams of judges selected from the audience who pick the StorySLAM winner. $8. Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd., Flushing, www.flushingtownhall.org. • Tuesday, Jan. 27, Live Music, 11 a.m.Mozart and James Cohn played by flutist J. Whiteman, Jean Case on clarinet, Christine Dore on piano, a trio by Mozart and Miriam Conti on piano and Barbara Oldham on French horn for a Cohn piece. Free with sandwich lunch. Douglaston Community Church, 39-15 Douglaston Parkway, Douglaston, 1-516-466-4034. The “It’s In Queens” column is produced by the Queens Tourism Council with the hope that readers will enjoy the borough’s attractions. More info at www.itsinqueens.com. -CONTINUED FROM PG. 22- TIMES, THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015 • 60 E-Space Turns 4 With A Big Party Looking To Save Cinemart -CONTINUED FROM PG. 27- for future films. Onofri of “Walking Queens”; and Meg Cotner of the “Food Lover’s Guide to Queens.” Partakers can expect great networking with 250 expected attendees, a smorgasbord of everything from spicy sauces to amazing (and often gluten-free) baked goods to chocolates and confections; useful information provided by the event’s lead sponsor, Oscar, a new kind of health-insurance company; alcoholic drinks donated by SquareWine & Spirits; and caffeinated beverages from nearby Coffeed, a specialty roaster and locally sourced café. Kaufman Astoria Studios is the other sponsor. A recent survey determined that the E-Space has helped more than 450 small businesses, generated $5 million in revenue, and created more than 100 jobs. Plus, Lonely Planet, a travel media company, recently selected Queens as the best tourism destination in the United States for 2015. The E-Space officially opened on Jan. 19, 2011. This 12,500- sq.-ft., NYC Economic Development Corporationsponsored hub features a fully equipped commercial kitchen, offices, and classrooms that entrepreneurs can rent at belowmarket rates as they build their businesses. To improve outcomes, QEDC also offers business counseling, technical assistance, and financial classes to clients on site. Currently, the E-Space has more than 165 clients, including dozens of bakers, an employment firm, and The Fortune Society, which trains individuals so they can enter the workforce in the food-preparation industry. For more information, go to QEDC’s website, www.queensny.org, or the Queens Tourism Council’s website, www.itsinqueens.com. The board members and president, Stephen Esposito, of the Greater Woodhaven Development Corporation, encouraged other local organizations to join them in the theater ticket purchase program to support the Cinemart. -CONTINUED FROM PG. 21- Shop Locally! SSuuppppoorrtt YYoouurr NNeeiigghhbboorrhhoooodd MMeerrcchhaannttss!! -CONTINUED FROM PG. 25- VISIT US ON THE WEB! www.timesnewsweekly.com


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