FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 • THE QUEENS COURIER 21
football fi eld is in dire need of renovation
Weeds grow behind the bleachers. The track is also in dire need of repair,
in a tackle. If it’s a high-speed chase and
they break down, engage and tackle and
with that momentum, they slide, and any
exposed skin is going to stick to the turf.”
Archbold estimates that the renovation
would take a year and cost
approximately $1.5 million.
In addition to the dangerous condition
of the fi eld, the scoreboard isn’t working,
and one of the gates can’t be locked properly
because the foundation has shift ed.
“Even the lines — my son and I painted
the lines. We spent the money, brought
the machine, brought the paint because
you couldn’t see them,” he said. “No one
from Parks Department is really maintaining
the fi eld. Th e last conversation I
had, it was blamed on COVID, that everybody
was indoors and nobody was doing
inspections, and things of that nature. But
this didn’t happen yesterday. Th at’s the sad
part about it.”
He had praise for the city park staff on
site, though.
“Th ey do clean up, and I’m so appreciative,”
he said. “Th ey work hard to try to
maintain and keep the debris and the garbage
off the fi eld.”
QNS asked DPR why the fi eld has been
in this condition for almost nine years and
if the department had any plans to renovate
the fi eld in
the near future.
“We take pride
in maintaining
this heavily
used green
space to provide
Rockaway Beach’s
young athletes and families
with quality open space,”
a DPR spokesperson stated.
“Beach 32 Field is currently in good
condition, and we have no plans or
funding in place to renovate the fi eld at
this time.”
Th e department also said it would
deploy a team to re-inspect the fi eld in
the coming week, but didn’t provide any
information about the lawsuit Archbold
mentioned.
Queens Borough President Donovan
Richards’ offi ce referred QNS to DPR, but
said in a statement that the Richards “has
always been and still remains a strong supporter
of the Rockaway Ravens, whom he
has provided funding for in the past.”
Councilwoman Selvena Brooks-Powers
stopped by for a tour to see fi rsthand
what condition the fi eld is in and listened
to Archbold’s and the coaches’ concerns.
Th e fi rst-term councilwoman explained
Rockaway Ravens football players have been practicing on the damaged fi eld.
that the city had already adopted the
budget for the fi scal year 2022. Brooks-
Powers, a former track and fi eld athlete,
understood that the players, who are
between the ages of 8 and 13, play under
less-than-stellar conditions.
“We do have some post-adoption funds
in terms of park equity money, so I’m
going to talk to the Parks Department to
see what’s possible,” she said. “It shouldn’t
be like that.”
She suggested that they could also
explore a private-public partnership to
fi nance the new fi eld.
“Or we can get one of the sports teams
that may be willing to contribute also,”
Rockaway Ravens coaches say.
Brooks-Powers said.
She also promised to reach out to
the DPR and address the overgrown
weeds behind the bleachers.
“We actually met with the
Department of Sanitation
Commissioner a few weeks ago. We
came right over here, and this is one
of the areas we highlighted for them,”
Brooks-Powers said.
Archbold is proud that the Ravens,
who have won a host of championships
and can claim Jets defensive tackle
Folorunso Fatukasi as one of their own,
are “truly Rockaway” with all players living
in the community.
He explained that the coaches prepare
the players for high school football, giving
them a shot at a scholarship at a private
high school.
“Th en they take those opportunities,
and they go on to college,” Archbold said.
He also noted his son, Brendan, one
of the 15 volunteer Ravens coaches, also
received an athletic scholarship.
“He and countless others had free
scholarships to college, four-year rides,”
Archbold said. “My son played two collegiate
championships at Liu Post, and now
they are here giving back.”
The shipping
container serves as a
storage room for the Ravens’
equipment.
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