4 THE COURIER SUN • MARCH 16, 2017 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM Forest Hills playground is rebuilt like a ‘treehouse’ BY ROBERT POZARYCKI [email protected] @robbpoz Even if they don’t have one in their backyard, every Forest Hills child now has a “treehouse” where they can play. City officials gathered at the green space on Union Turnpike inside of Forest Park on March 7 for a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the completion of the playground’s $1.45 million renovation. The park was remodeled with a treehouse theme and includes safer playground equipment and improved access for disabled persons. “With a new entrance way and a layout that allows wheelchairs to navigate safely between play elements, Joe Devoy Playground has been transformed into a completely accessible space,” said Queens Parks Commissioner Dorothy Lewandowski. “Spring is right around the corner, and now kids of all abilities can exercise their imaginations at this new treehouse-themed playground and enjoy the great outdoors in one of Queens’ flagship parks.” Lewandowski along with Queens Borough President Melinda Katz and Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley participated in the event. Construction at Devoy Playground began last June, and according to the Parks Department, the project was completed months ahead of schedule. City officials help cut the ribbon on the new and improved Joseph DeVoy Playground in Forest Hills on March 7. “Forest Park is a jewel in our city’s parks system due to its natural beauty and to amenities like DeVoy Playground,” said Queens Borough President Melinda Katz. “With spring around the corner, the newly renovated DeVoy Playground will make it an even more engaging place for the growing families around Forest Park.” The new and improved Devoy Playground was redesigned to fit in with the surrounding landscape of Forest Park, much of which is heavily wooded and covered with hilly terrain. The entirety of Forest Park sits on the Harbor Hill Moraine, a series of steep hills formed by the Wisconsin glacier some 20,000 years ago. As with the ideal treehouse, the playground has a tire swing and is colored in earth tones. It also features amenities typically found in a city playground: steel drum play features, a drinking fountain, panel games, new seating and swings. At the request of local residents, the Parks Department retained animal sculptures and wood climbing logs that had been there for years. Devoy Playground is named for Joseph Devoy, a longtime activist in Forest Hills who was the first chairperson of Community Board 9 (later Community Board 6) and co-founded the Forest Hills Volunteer Ambulance Corps. He died in January of 2000. BY ROBERT POZARYCKI [email protected] @robbpoz Officers in Howard Beach locked up four teenagers early in the morning of March 9 who allegedly smashed windows and broke into at least six vehicles parked around the neighborhood, police reported. In a post to its Facebook page, the 106th Precinct Community Council noted that the teenagers had allegedly stolen property from the vehicles. The council encouraged anyone whose vehicle was broken into to report it to the 106th Precinct immediately. According to police sources, the teenagers were variously charged with committing at least four vehicle break-ins in the vicinity of 158th Avenue and 96th Street. Officers from the precinct’s Anti- Crime Unit responded to the location at about 2:30 a.m. after receiving a 911 call about a group of people acting disorderly in the area. The responding officers were able to engage with the 911 caller and obtained a description of the perpetrators, according to Lieutenant John Zocchia of the 106th Precinct. The caller informed police that the group were observed attempting to enter several vehicles parked in the area. Upon arriving at the location, sources said, the officers observed the teenagers attempting to enter a parked SUV at the location. Following a brief foot pursuit, police were able to take the suspects into custody. Based on information obtained during a preliminary investigation, the teenagers were identified as the suspected burglars. They were found to have in their possession a number of items removed from at least six different vehicles in the area, from loose change to cellphones and even an iPad. Zocchia told QNS that police were able to track down the owners of the burglarized vehicles and are working to return the property stolen from them. He not only applauded the work of the 106th Precinct officers in making the arrests, but also thanked members of the community for their assistance in making the arrest. “It’s great to see the community working together to jump out and help us,” Zocchia said. Law enforcement sources said the four individuals, who are between 16 and 17 years of age and reside in the Rockaways, face various counts of unauthorized use of a vehicle, criminal possession of stolen property, criminal trespass, petit larceny and possession of burglar’s tools. Additional charges are pending based on the results of the ongoing investigation. Police remind the public to always make sure that they remove valuable items from their cars before leaving them unattended, and to always properly secure their vehicles. Addabbo votes to increase penalties for bias-related crimes BY THE QUEENS COURIER STAFF [email protected] @QNS With destruction of religious property and cemeteries and the creation of hate-related graffiti on the rise, New York State Senator Joseph Addabbo recently voted to pass two bills that would increase the penalties for those who participate in these crimes. “While there have always been despicable people who take pleasure in robbing institutions of religious worship, knocking down gravestones, and writing hate-filled messages on buildings, fences and other private and public property in our communities, it seems like incidences of this nature are becoming more common,” Addabbo said. “We might not be able to cure thievery, or stop people from hating others simply on the basis of their religious, racial or other differences, but we can take steps to make sure that their criminal activity receives the harsh punishment it deserves.” The first bill (S.1786) addresses a variety of crimes that damage houses of religious worship, sacred items, and the final resting places of New York residents. Penalties for these crimes will be raised to the felony level. Those who steal from religious institutions will also face increased penalties. The second bill (S.4777) addresses hate-related graffiti, including swastikas, recognized racial slurs and other hate speech. If the bill is passed, this kind of graffiti would be included in New York’s bias-related crime laws, and creating hate graffiti would be considered a Class E Felony, which could land you four years in prison. The bills have passed through the Senate and are now under consideration by the Assembly Committee on Codes. “According to the New York Police Department, incidences of bias crimes in the city were up 35 percent in 2016 from 2015, with a spike of 115 percent at the end of the year,” Addabbo said. “In addition, the NYPD also recently announced that the number of anti-Semitic hate crimes reported to the Department so far in 2017 represents an increase of 94 percent from the same period a year ago. It appears that many people who are prejudiced against others based upon their religion, race, culture, sexual orientation, national origin or other identifying characteristic have become more emboldened to turn their hateful thoughts into actions. We must have zero tolerance for this kind of behavior, and better safeguard our religious institutions and properties from thieves and vandals.” Four teenagers cuffed in Howard Beach for vehicle break-ins Photo via Facebook/106th Precinct Community Council Photos courtesy of NYC Parks Department Kids play on the new tire swing at Joseph DeVoy Playground in Forest Hills.
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