4 THE COURIER SUN • JULY 25, 2013 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.couriersun.com BEAUTY & THE BEACH Charles Park gets a makeover post Sandy Addabbo helps ECCA keep ‘cruising’ BY MAGGIE HAYES BY MAGGIE HAYES mhayes@queenscourier.com For 12 years, the East Coast Car Association (ECCA) hosted an annual Cruise Night that showcased antique cars and raised funds for St. Mary’s Hospital for Children, all in a Forest Hills McDonald’s parking lot. But this year, Mike Bilski of the ECCA was told McDonald’s could not host the Cruise Night because of corporate policies. With that, he and other members went looking around for a new venue. “There we were, we had no Cruise Night,” he said. “We were trying all of the churches but nobody wanted us.” Enter State Senator Joseph Addabbo. One night, Bilski was driving back from a friend’s house when he passed Resorts World Casino. “I thought to myself, ‘that lot is empty,’ he said. Bilski and the ECCA crew were referred to Addabbo, who met with Resorts World and worked out a deal. Now, the casino holds the Cruise Night every Tuesday from 5 to 9 p.m. in its VIP parking lot. “For years, that association and its members have not only displayed some of the most beautiful cars of past generations, but they have also made substantial contributions to the community, especially the younger residents,” Addabbo said. Bilski said the casino also donates to St. Mary’s, which was happy to see the ECCA’s nonprofit endeavors continue. Since the VIP lot is larger than the ECCA’s previous home in Forest Hills, the Cruise Night can now accommodate more vehicles. The events have featured as many as 100 custom and antique cars and 50 motorcycles along with pick-up trucks and antique bicycles. “We’re able to raise more money, and we’re getting a very diverse crowd and a very diverse range of cars,” Bilski said. “It’s not just antique cars anymore. We’re getting a lot of imports, low-riders and tuner cars.” Attendees must contribute a $3 donation to each Cruise Night. The event will go on every Tuesday through November at Resorts World. On Sunday, August 4 they will host an additional Cruise Night at Maspeth Federal and another the following day at Atlas Park. PHOTO COURTESY OF SCA A group of 20 students teamed up with the Parks Department and the Jamaica Bay Restoration Corps to fix up the Frank M. Charles Memorial Park post-Sandy. SKATE SAFE Residents say park needs safety improvements Ulrich said cutting the median for a crosswalk would be difficult because the median sits on top of a LIRR tunnel and utilities. But as for the suggested lighting the councilmember has already contacted the Department of Transportation (DOT) to inquire about adding more lights around the park. That came as welcome news to Woodhaven resident Janet Forte, who said she recently saw a car almost hit two skaters on Atlantic Avenue. Forte believes it was difficult to see the skateboarders because of low visibility at night and because they were not wearing any reflective equipment. “There are a lot of adults and teenagers going there,” Forte said. “I think we need to be proactive and not reactive. I don’t want to see anyone killed.” “It’s a beautiful skate park” said Alex Blenkinsopp, communications director of the WRBA. “We are confident that Garden Center • Seasonal Decor Landscaping • Irrigation these won’t be persistent problems.” 125 Crossbay Blvd. • Broad Channel mhayes@queenscourier.com Howard Beach’s Frank M. Charles Memorial Park at long last got a makeover after Sandy swept through last October. The Student Conservation Association (SCA) joined the Parks Department and the Jamaica Bay Restoration Corps to make fixes at Frank Charles Park still needed after Sandy. Twenty high school students ages 15 to 19 came out to dig, fill ditches, paint and clean beaches and more over a two-week period in July. “The students are doing meaningful work to try and get this neighborhood back to the level they were at before Sandy hit,” said Diane Stanley, program manager for SCA’s New York City and New Jersey Sandy Recovery. Half of the students cleaning up in Howard Beach were from Sandy Hook, New Jersey, an area also heavily hit by Sandy. Stanley said the intermingling of the students, along with seeing the different affected areas, is rewarding for them. The Sandy Recovery program is also working throughout areas of Brooklyn, Staten Island and New Jersey. In Howard Beach, the SCA, Parks and Jamaica Bay Restoration Corps are moving towards “recovery and resiliency,” Stanley said. Jayden Nelson, 17, an SCA volunteer, said before starting on the Howard Beach project, he did not know what conservation meant. He discovered it meant “restoring all parts,” and with that, he jumped into the SCA clean-up. “I thought if I could help somebody else, that would be great,” he said. “It feels great that you’ve contributed to someone else’s home and life.” Nelson said the residents around the park have watched and encouraged the clean-up team, expressing gratitude throughout the process. “This neighborhood was destroyed, so now I feel like I’m a part of this community because I get to help restore it to what it was,” said Nelson’s brother 14-year-old brother Treson. He added that outside of restoring the area, he has enjoyed spending time with his coworkers and meeting new people. “I’m not a people person, but everybody I’ve met has been great. We’ve been having a lot of fun,” he said. LIAM LA GUERRE lguerre@queenscourier.com Concerns about London Planetree Skate Park have been rolling since the facility opened a month go. At a recent Woodhaven Residents’ Block Association (WRBA) meeting, neighbors shared their worries about safety in the park, which attracts droves of local skaters. Some attendees asked for improved lighting on the outside of the park, located on Atlantic Avenue. Others suggested there a crosswalk should be installed to make it easier for young skaters to cross the street. Presently, a long median splits traffic on the avenue, but there are no traffic lights to stop vehicles. Residents also say the median island is high, making it difficult for small children and disabled people to cross. “There were very few isolated reported incidents, but there is no cause for alarm,” said Councilmember Eric Ulrich, who praised the park for its safety and popularity. at the root of all your garden needs. 718.855.543.NURSERY (6877)
SC07252013
To see the actual publication please follow the link above