4 DECEMBER 16, 2021 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
Middle Village street named after former councilman
BY JULIA MORO
EDITORIAL@QNS.COM
@QNS
Councilman Robert Holden held
a street co-naming ceremony
for former Councilman Thomas
Ognibene on Sunday, Dec. 12, at
the corner of Furmanville Avenue
and 83rd Street in Middle Village.
Ognibene served as the council
member for District 30 — encompassing
Middle Village, Maspeth,
Glendale, Ridgewood, Richmond
Hill, Woodhaven and Forest Hills
— and also held the position of Republican
minority leader in the City
Council. He was first elected in 1992,
serving through 2001.
The former councilman died in
2015. He is also remembered for
serving in the U.S. Army as an officer
in the Armor Corp from 1967
to 1970.
Ognibene graduated on the dean’s
list from C.W. Post College, got his
law degree from Brooklyn Law
School and opened his own practice
in 1975.
“Council member and Minority
Leader Thomas V. Ognibene is a
credit to the civic spirit of our
neighborhood and this street conaming,
very near to his home, will
help his legacy to be remembered,”
Holden said. “I was proud to sponsor
it and very pleased to hear so
many fond memories of how Tom
touched so many lives. Not only was
he a tremendously gifted politician
and dedicated public servant, but
he was also extremely generous
with his time and sage advice to the
younger elected officials who spoke
so fondly of him today.”
While serving as a Council
member, Ognibene was working
to revitalize the city in the 1990s,
partnering with members from
both sides of the aisle.
Community members and elected offi cials celebrated a street co-naming after former District 30 Councilman
Thomas Ognibene in Middle Village. Photos by Kevin Ryan/Holden’s offi ce
He fought to improve the quality
of life, and he helped Mayor Rudy
Giuliani in his eff ort to reduce crime,
clean city parks and protect small
businesses.
Ognibene was married for 48 years
to his wife, Margaret, and had two
children together, Guy and Eve. Ognibene
also served as vice president
of Christ the King High School’s board
of trustees for more than 20 years.
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