8 THE COURIER SUN • AUGUST 20, 2015 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.couriersun.com 16 8 times • AUGUST 20, 2015 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.timesnewsweekly.com THE COURIER SUN • AUGUST 20, 2015 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.couriersun.com BY ANGELA MATUA [email protected] @AngelaMatua BY ANGELA MATUA [email protected] @AngelaMatua A new school will soon rise in Ozone Park. The City Council’s Subcommittee on Landmarks, Public Siting and Maritime Uses and the Land Use Committee approved on Aug. 12 a School Construction Authority (SCA) contract to erect P.S. 335, a 504- seat school at a vacant lot on Albert Road between Raleigh Street and 99th Place, in the Centerville section of Ozone Park. The school is scheduled to open in 2017. An SCA spokesperson said the number of seats are fl exible and can change depending on the needs of the community. Several pre-K classes will also be included in the 72,500-square-foot space and the SCA is planning to add a spacious playground area, basketball and volleyball courts, bicycle racks, areas dedicated to planting and gardening and an outdoor stage for events. Currently, students in Centreville attend P.S. 63 at 90-15 Sutter Ave. across Cross Bay Boulevard or P.S.146 in Howard Beach at 98-01 159 Ave. The SCA, expecting overcrowding in District 27, procured the land from the New York Racing Association to alleviate potential overcrowding from the addition of 990 students in the district by 2017. City Council panels approve construction of new school City Council panels approve construction of new school in Ozone Park in Ozone Park Councilman Eric Ulrich said this school is a great addition to the neighborhood. “This new school will help alleviate overcrowded classrooms in our district and will be a welcome addition to the neighborhood,” Ulrich said in a statement. P.S. 335, a primary school in Centreville, is slated to open in 2017. P.S. 335, a primary school in Centreville, is slated to open in 2017. “The fi nal design of the school is contextual with the surrounding community and is just the latest investment we are making in our children’s future.” A capital project, set to replace and add much-needed streets, including Albert Road, sidewalks, curbs, pedestrian THE COURIER/File photo THE COURIER/File photo ramps, water mains, sanitary sewers and new storm drains in the Centreville area must be completed before the construction of the new school. A spokesperson for SCA said work on the new school is slated to start “in next few months.” Jamaica and Flushing commuters sign petition calling for better bus service Jamaica DENTAL CARE FOR THE and ENTIRE FAMILY Santa LoCascio, D.D.S.,Flushing P.C. commuters sign petition calling for better bus service PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL & PERSONALIZED CARE BY Our ANGELA Complete MATUA amatua@Dental queenscourier.Cleaning com @AngelaMatua (Includes X-ray, Exam & Cleaning) Any More Filling,than 2,000 Extraction people in Flushing or and Emergency Jamaica reportedly signed to demand improvements Visit a petition to the bus service along the Q44 bus route, according to a transit advocacy group. Formed in 2012, the Riders Alliance organizes transit riders to call for better $99 WE ALSO ACCEPT MOST INSURANCES! 70-16 FRESH POND RD., RIDGEWOOD, NEW YORK 718-628-6588 service and to infl uence transit $99 funding and policy. The organization began collecting signatures for a petition meant to spur city agencies to adopt Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) along the Q44 route, specifi cally on Parsons Boulevard and Main Street. The Riders Alliance will deliver the petition to the Department of Transportation (DOT), Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) and elected offi cials in Flushing and Jamaica. The DOT is currently studying the implementation Free deep conditioning treatment with any service. 15% OFF when bringing this newspaper ad. of Select Bus Service along the Q44. Josselyn Atahualpa, the Queens community organizer for Riders Alliance, said that she, along with other Riders We Alliance carry Aveda,members, began collecting Oribe signatures and Morrocan for a petition last October Oil Hair to gauge Products residents’ interest in the adoption of BRT. Though some community members vocalized opposition to the plan, Atahualpa said most people want to see changes to the route along Jamaica, which was recently named New York’s neighborhood Do you have diabetes? with the longest commute. “We support the current proposal that they released in late May,” Atahualpa said. “We just want to see it implemented quickly and on time.” The Q44, which links Jamaica, Flushing and the Bronx, serves 44,000 riders daily. The plan would add designated 20% of diabetics will develop a foot ulcer in their lifetime. bus lanes on Sutphin Boulevard, Archer Avenue and Hillside Avenue in Jamaica. Main Street between Northern Boulevard and the Horace Harding Expressway in Flushing would also receive designated bus lanes. “As a senior, I don’t drive and I can’t walk long distances,” said Jeanne Majors, who is a Jamaica resident and member of the Riders Alliance. “I often rely on buses, but I’m tired of their unreliability and how overcrowded they’ve become. Buses come late, and older buses are diffi cult for me to board. I want reliable service and Select Bus Service can provide that.” The DOT is planning to hold community meetings to discuss the proposed SBS service this fall but not all residents are on board with the plan. Yvonne Reddick, district manager for Community Board 12, said the Q44 along Jamaica has a short wait time and other bus services, such as the Q4 that runs through Jamaica and Cambria Heights and the Q41 that runs through Jamaica and 164 Avenue in Howard Beach, could benefi t from SBS. “I have monitored that Q44 that comes through Jamaica,” Reddick said. “That bus is the best bus that comes through Jamaica and I said that to the MTA. The longest you may wait for that Q44 is something like 3 minutes.” Reddick said the Q4, which runs along Merrick Boulevard, has some of the longest wait times; she blamed part of the problem on the abundance of dollar vans that speed up and down the boulevard “like we’re in the wild west.” Like Us On Facebook PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS • MEDICAL SPECIALTY PHYSICIANS EXTENDED HOURS MON-FRI PLUS SATURDAY HOURS MON-THURS 8AM-7:30PM • FRI 8AM-6PM • SAT 9AM-4PM VISIT US ON THE WEB: WWW.DOCCARENY.COM SAVE THIS NUMBER 718-497-1919 NEW Patients Welcome! Appointments Preferred • PAYMENT PLANS AVAILABLE • MOST INSURANCE ACCEPTED Did you know..... In addition to Primary Care Needs, DocCare provides you with 24 Speciality Care Physicians at our Fresh Pond Road Locations. For your convenience we also have locations in Hauppauge, Merrick and Bellerose, Long Island. Photo courtesy of Riders Alliance 66-55 FRESH POND RD., RIDGEWOOD, NY 11385 Members of the Riders Alliance gathered more than 2,000 petitions in support of a select bus service plan for the Q44. Across From RiteAid 68-23 FRESH POND RD., RIDGEWOOD, NY 11385 Have you had your feet checked lately 718-NEW-FEET 6 3 9 - 3 3 3 8 Daniel Salon and Spa 70-09 Myrtle Ave Glendale, NY 11385 718-628-0161 BY ANGELA MATUA [email protected] @AngelaMatua A new school will soon rise in Ozone Park. The City Council’s Subcommittee on Landmarks, Public Siting and Maritime Uses and the Land Use Committee approved on Aug. 12 a School Construction Authority (SCA) contract to erect P.S. 335, a 504- seat school at a vacant lot on Albert Road between Raleigh Street and 99th Place, in the Centerville section of Ozone Park. The school is scheduled to open in 2017. An SCA spokesperson said the number of seats are fl exible and can change depending on the needs of the community. Several pre-K classes will also be included in the 72,500-square-foot space and the SCA is planning to add a spacious playground area, basketball and volleyball courts, bicycle racks, areas dedicated to planting and gardening and an outdoor stage for events. Currently, students in Centreville attend P.S. 63 at 90-15 Sutter Ave. across Cross Bay Boulevard or P.S. 146 in Howard Beach at 98-01 159 Ave. The SCA, expecting overcrowding in District 27, procured the land from the New York Racing Association to alleviate potential overcrowding from the addition of 990 students in the district by 2017. Councilman Eric Ulrich said this school is a great addition to the neighborhood. “This new school will help alleviate overcrowded classrooms in our district and will be a welcome addition to the neighborhood,” Ulrich said in a statement. “The fi nal design of the school is contextual with the surrounding community and is just the latest investment we are making in our children’s future.” A capital project, set to replace and add much-needed streets, including Albert Road, sidewalks, curbs, pedestrian ramps, water mains, sanitary sewers and new storm drains in the Centreville area must be completed before the construction of the new school. A spokesperson for SCA said work on the new school is slated to start “in the next few months.” BY ANGELA MATUA [email protected] @AngelaMatua More than 2,000 people in Flushing and Jamaica reportedly signed a petition to demand improvements to the bus service along the Q44 bus route, according to a transit advocacy group. Formed in 2012, the Riders Alliance organizes transit riders to call for better service and to infl uence transit funding and policy. The organization began collecting signatures for a petition meant to spur city agencies to adopt Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) along the Q44 route, specifi cally on Parsons Boulevard and Main Street. The Riders Alliance will deliver the petition to the Department of Transportation (DOT), Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) and elected offi cials in Flushing and Jamaica. The DOT is currently studying the implementation of Select Bus Service along the Q44. Josselyn Atahualpa, the Queens community organizer for Riders Alliance, said that she, along with other Riders Alliance members, began collecting signatures for a petition last October to gauge residents’ interest in the adoption of BRT. Though some community members vocalized opposition to the plan, Atahualpa said most people want to see changes to the route along Jamaica, which was recently named New York’s neighborhood with the longest commute. “We support the current proposal that they released in late May,” Atahualpa said. “We just want to see it implemented quickly and on time.” The Q44, which links Jamaica, Flushing and the Bronx, serves 44,000 riders daily. The plan would add designated bus lanes on Sutphin Boulevard, Archer Avenue and Hillside Avenue in Jamaica. Main Street between Northern Boulevard and the Horace Harding Expressway in Flushing would also receive designated bus lanes. “As a senior, I don’t drive and I can’t walk long distances,” said Jeanne Majors, who is a Jamaica resident and member of the Riders Alliance. “I often rely on buses, but I’m tired of their unreliability and how overcrowded they’ve become. Buses come late, and older buses are diffi cult for me to board. I want reliable service and Select Bus Service can provide that.” The DOT is planning to hold community meetings to discuss the proposed SBS service this fall but not all residents are on board with the plan. Yvonne Reddick, district manager for Community Board 12, said the Q44 along Jamaica has a short wait time and other bus services, such as the Q4 that runs through Jamaica and Cambria Heights and the Q41 that runs through Jamaica and 164 Avenue in Howard Beach, could benefi t from SBS. “I have monitored that Q44 that comes through Jamaica,” Reddick said. “That bus is the best bus that comes through Jamaica and I said that to the MTA. The longest you may wait for that Q44 is something like 3 minutes.” Reddick said the Q4, which runs along Merrick Boulevard, has some of the longest wait times; she blamed part of the problem on the abundance of dollar vans that speed up and down the boulevard “like we’re in the wild west.” Photo courtesy of Riders Alliance Members of the Riders Alliance gathered more than 2,000 petitions in support of a select bus service plan for the Q44. RIDGEWOOD TIMES/File photo
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