2 times • FEBRUARY 18, 2016 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.qns.com Ridgewood is getting a multimilliondollar athletic field reconstruction BY ANTHONY GIUDICE agiudice@ridgewoodtimes.com @A_GiudiceReport The $8.5 million reconstruction of the Grover Cleveland High School (GCHS) Athletic Field, located at Seneca and DeKalb avenues in Ridgewood, officially got underway on Feb. 12 with a ceremonial groundbreaking. On hand to make the first dig were GCHS principal Denise Vittor, Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley, state Senator Joseph Addabbo, a representative from Assemblywoman Cathy Nolan’s office, Community Board 5 District Manager Gary Giordano, members of the School Construction Authority (SCA) and GCHS staff. “This was much needed since the day I got here in 2011, which meant it was needed even before then,” Vittor said. “So this is important for the neighborhood, it’s important for our students and it’s important for the community.” The field, which originally had a track and baseball field, will now become a sports haven for the students of GCHS. The AstroTurf field will support a regulation soccer field, full-sized baseball and softball fields, batting cages, a running track and lines for lacrosse games, thanks to the landscape architects and site planners Semmens Associates, P.C. “This is a multimillion-dollar project here that will not only benefit the kids of Grover Cleveland, but the entire community,” Crowley said. “It’s not just that the sports are important for physical fitness, but it’s also about building a stronger comradery and sportsmanship at a school like Grover Cleveland … so I know that they whole entire learning experience at Grover Cleveland will be improved upon because of this.” The estimated completion date for the field is set for Aug. 8, when there will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open the field. “Our whole student body embraces this,” said Jack Ciano, athletic director and assistant principal of health and physical education at GCHS. “This is going to be great for all the sports teams and clubs that we have. This is going to be the turning point for the school. It will be really good for all of our students. I think it’s a win-win for everybody.” RIDGEWOOD TIMES/Photo by Anthony Giudice The official groundbreaking of the $8.5M reconstruction of the Grover Cleveland High School Athletic Field took place on Friday, Feb. 12. Star chefs hand-delivered meals to Ridgewood and Astoria elderly By Anthony Giudice agiudice@ridgewoodtimes.com @A_GiudiceReport Love is a full stomach. Two rising-star chefs were able to spread a little love, just in time for Valentine’s Day, to 200 homebound elderly residents of Ridgewood and Astoria, as part of the Chefs Deliver initiative for the Citymeals program. On Wednesday, Feb. 10, chef Franco Barrio of Bespoke Kitchen hand-delivered meals to homebound residents of the West Village, while chef Shaun Hergatt of Juni brought meals to Citymeals recipients living near Herald Square early last week. After the chefs brought some of the meals to their isolated older neighbors, the remainder was delivered to recipients living in Ridgewood and Astoria. “With Valentine’s Day on Sunday, many of our meal recipients who have outlived family and friends are feeling even more isolated and alone,” said Beth Shapiro, executive director of Citymeals. “This month Citymeals was able to spread some extra love with the help of chefs Barrio and Hergatt who graciously prepared these special meals that were delivered straight to the doors of our vulnerable neighbors who need it the most.” Barrio used all local ingredients to create his menu of braised short ribs, complete with purple potatoes, heirloom carrots and caramelized cipollini onions with a side of orzo salad for 100 Citymeals recipients. Chef Hergatt prepared 100 meals of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, braised carrots and gravy. A Citymeals on Wheels initiative, Chefs Deliver brings together a rotating cast of culinary stars who, once a month, lend their talents to Citymeals – cooking and often personally delivering the meals to New Yorkers who cannot shop and cook for themselves. Chefs Deliver was launched in January 2014 by Citymeals board of directors co-president chef Daniel Boulud and Citymeals board member chef Charlie Palmer. FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS 24 HOURS/ 7 DAYS A WEEK. Log on to qns.com Photos courtesy Eric Groom Chef Franco Barrio with Santiago, one of the Citymeals recipients.
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