4 times • OCTOBER 22, 2015 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.timesnewsweekly.com Glendale club working to save tree lighting ceremony BY ANTHONY GIUDICE agiudice@ridgewoodtimes.com @A_GiudiceReport A 50-year holiday tradition in Glendale may come to an end this year. For five decades, the Christmas tree that is put up each year at the Glendale Veterans Triangle has brought joy to Glendale residents, young and old alike, with a visit from Santa, gifts for the children and refreshments. But due to a lack of funding, Glendale may be without its biggest holiday attraction this year. “It had always been funded by the Glendale Chamber of Commerce. They’ve been doing it for 50 years,” said Joe Aiello, president elect of the Glendale Kiwanis. “It’s been an icon in Glendale, especially at the Christmas holidays. Unfortunately, the funds are not available due to a lack of funds at the Glendale Chamber of Commerce.” Former president of the Glendale Chamber of Commerce, Patricia Gatt, said that the chamber had been struggling to gain new members, making it difficult to continue with the Christmas tradition. “It’s the kind of thing where it can’t be a one-man show. You have to have other people involved. One person can’t do it all,” Gatt said. “I’m so glad Kiwanis picked up on it because it’s such a tradition in the neighborhood. It is just so beautiful. It’s the most wonderful thing. It brings the neighborhood together. It’s something that needs to continue.” Now the Glendale Kiwanis is taking up the responsibility of raising the funds to keep this holiday tradition alive. “It was brought to my attention and the Glendale Kiwanis club at one of our board meetings and we decided to take over the task,” Aiello said. “If there wasn’t a Glendale Kiwanis, there wouldn’t be a tree. The tree isn’t just for the children, it’s for everyone and the community.” The Glendale Kiwanis is looking for donations to continue the 50-year holiday tradition of a Christmas tree at the Memorial Triangle, shown above. Bringing the Christmas tree ceremony back to Glendale this year, Aiello said, would cost over $4,000. Those expenses would includes the tree, ornaments, putting up the lighting, setting up pictures with Santa, gifts for every child who comes and refreshments. “Last year there had to be 400 children from the community. This year we expect 400-plus,” Aiello said. “We can’t do this on our own. We need the businesses in the community to give back. So what we’re proposing is if business owners want to donate $200 or more, we are putting up a banner displaying their RIDGEWOOD TIMES/Photo by Anthony Giudice company name as a thank you.” All donations made to the Glendale Kiwanis, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, are tax deductible. People, businesses and organizations have already donated to the cause, according to Aiello. “There have been around two dozen donations so far,” he said. “I can’t give an exact dollar amount, but donations have been coming in.” The celebration is scheduled to take place on Sunday, Dec. 6, should they receive enough donations. For more information, visit http://glendalenykiwanis. org. Councilman addresses quality-of-life issues at Bushwick intersection BY ANTHONY GIUDICE agiudice@ridgewoodtimes.com @A_GiudiceReport After merchants and residents in Bushwick raised concerns over quality of-life issues at the intersection of Broadway and Myrtle Avenue, something is being done to improve conditions at the busy intersection. City Councilman Antonio Reynoso announced on Oct. 15 that his office is working with various city agencies to address street and sidewalk conditions at the intersection, which is below the Myrtle Avenue-Broadway station the J/Z and M lines. Some of the problems previously cited at the location include poor lighting, littering and the illegal sale and use of synthetic marijuana commonly known as K-2. The task force, which involves Reynoso, the NYPD and community organizations, will strategize and respond to quality-of-life issues with comprehensive actions addressing the cleanliness, loitering and K-2 abuse at that intersection. “While private investment has been made in the more desirable properties in the neighborhood, Broadway has remained in disarray for too long,” Reynoso said. “I am thrilled and thankful for the city agencies and community groups’ efforts to make Myrtle-Broadway a drug-free, cleaner, safer and more vibrant commercial strip.” As part of Reynoso’s task force, the Department of Transportation (DOT) has installed more than 10 LED lights on Broadway, resulting in brighter and safer sidewalks for pedestrians and residents. Additionally, the DOT included new street markings for the five crosswalks connecting Bushwick and Bedford-Stuyvesant. The MTA also repainted six of the supporting columns of the elevated train, significantly improving safety for the thousands of subway commuters that pass through Myrtle- Broadway each day. The Department of Sanitation (DSNY) replaced corner trash bins and has been removing bigger trash items that are often left at the corner of Broadway and Jefferson Street. The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce engaged in a long-term plan to organize the many independent businesses along Broadway, while the Greater Ridgewood Restoration Corporation removed much of the graffiti on properties along Jefferson Street, contributing to the beautification efforts put forth by the task force. START Recovery & Treatment, the local methadone clinic, has installed more lighting and repainted their exterior walls and ACE provided assistance through their street cleaning service and emptying of public trash receptacles. “It’s really nice to see the city come together and work on a corner that looked like it was stuck in the late ‘80s with trash and drug abuse all over the place,” said lifelong resident Edwin Delgado. “Community Board 4 is always happy to see elected officials, city agencies and the community come together to repair problems in the community,” added CB 4 District Manager Nadine Whitted. RIDGEWOOD TIMES/Photo by Anthony Giudice Councilman Antonio Reynoso, flanked by his task force, is taking measures to clean up the busy intersection at Broadway and Myrtle Avenue.
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