4 The Courier sun • DECEMBER 17, 2015 for breaking news visit www.qns.com A winning ticket: NYRA records second-straight profitable year at the tracks By Robert Pozarycki rpozarycki@queenscourier.com/@robbpoz They’re in the money — again. The New York Racing Association (NYRA), which operates Aqueduct Racetrack in South Ozone Park and Belmont Park on the Queens/Nassau border, announced on Dec. 9 that it will finish 2015 with its second straight operational profit. Once the curtain falls on this calendar year, the NYRA projects it will finish with an operating profit of $4 million; the figure focuses solely on NYRA’s operations at Aqueduct, Belmont Park and Saratoga and does not include any revenue it receives from the Resorts World New York casino, which operates out of Aqueduct’s former grandstand. It’s the first time the NYRA has had back-to-back operational profits since 1999 and 2000. “This is an important milestone and a very meaningful achievement,” NYRA President and CEO Christopher Kay said. “Working together with our board and numerous stakeholders, we are fulfilling Governor Andrew Cuomo’s vision of a reformed, revitalized and financially sustainable thoroughbred racing leader.” The NYRA had a banner year both on- and off-track, h i g h l i g h t e d by American Pharoah becoming racing’s 12th Triple Crown winner in capturing the Belmont Stakes on June 6 before a crowd of 90,000 at Belmont Park. This year’s summer racing meet at upstate Saratoga Race Course also set a wagering record and an attendance increase. The racing outfit also announced a host of improvements set to come to Aqueduct and Belmont in the coming year. At Aqueduct, the NYRA will install new signage on Rockaway Boulevard and North Conduit Avenue; improve barns and dormitories; increase security throughout the facility; and install a new track cushion and rails to improve both equine and human safety. Similar barn and track improvements will be made at Belmont Park. There will also be upgrades to video boards in the picnic areas and the public address system and ADA upgrades within the clubhouse and grandstand, among other improvements. Aqueduct is currently hosting thoroughbred racing through April of next year; thereafter, racing will shift back to Belmont Park. THE COURIER/Photo by Brooke Smith Residents voice concerns to representatives from the Department of Transportation Springfield Gardens residents demand end to illegal truck activities BY BROKE SMITH editorial@queenscourier.com/@QueensCourier Residents of Springfield Gardens living near John F. Kennedy Airport are demanding a crackdown on illegal truck activities and solutions to residential congestion and speeding. The Department of Transportation (DOT) hosted a public meeting on Dec. 10 to present possible solutions to transportation concerns raised in the previous meeting as well as discuss the findings of the Springfield Gardens and JFK Transportation study. About 20 residents, civic group leaders and community board leaders met to view the transportation study. Data was compiled from demographics, zoning and land use, traffic, truck movement, parking, pedestrians, accidents and public transit were collected in the Springfield Gardens/JFK area to generate recommendations to address community concerns and improve traffic operations. Recent initiatives to improve traffic flow began with the opening of the Airport Plaza at JFK Airport on June 29 as the first public truck parking facility in the city. It is hoped that this site will decrease truck layover on local streets. Despite the new Airport Plaza, it was noted, congestion from truck parking remains an issue on 147th Avenue, Springfield Boulevard and Merrick Boulevard. “The facility is fairly new, we have begun working with the city to create some promotion to communicate information to truckers about the availability of truck parking,” said Lou Venech, the general manager for regional transportation and policy development planning. “We haven’t had as much overnight utilization of the facility as we would like. It is the first truck stop in the five boroughs. It took a long time to get it and it’s going to take a while for the industry to believe that it’s there.” Many residents blamed the lack of utilization of the plaza on the cost in place for truck parking. “Those folks who know that there is a cost will not leave Springfield Boulevard and Merrick Boulevard where there is parking for free and come to the parking facility,” said Bess DeBatham, co-chair of the Transportation Committee at Community Board 13. Residents also called for greater police enforcement to stop illegally parked or idling trucks. “There is legislation at city level that would increase the fines for idling,” said Malik Sanders, director of communications under Councilman Donovan Richards. ”There’s also potential training citizens can go through that allows them to record idling which would then give them a percentage of the truck’s paid fines.” A Weigh in Motion (WIM) system will also be installed on Rockaway Boulevard, according to the DOT. By the end of the year, sensors will be installed to document overweight trucks that do not have permits. Nine closed-circuit cameras will also be monitoring trucks in the Springfield Gardens area. The DOT touted other local improvements, including the reconstruction of Springfield Boulevard between South Conduit and 147th avenues. The project brought the installation of new signals, reconstruction on sidewalks, medians, a protected bike path and planted trees. The drainage system on 147th Avenue was also upgraded as a part of the “Blue Belt” project to facilitate flooding issues. Even so, Gloria Boyce-Charles, secretary of Eastern Queens Alliance, and other residents voiced concerns about dilapidated roads on 147th Avenue, blaming the problems on frequent truck activity to the nearby warehouse. Michael Griffith, the DOT deputy director of traffic analysis, called upon the community to voice concerns before the final improvement plan is finalized and implemented in the next four to six months. Thereafter, he said, the DOT will turn its attention toward traffic improvements in downtown Jamaica. “This is an important milestone and a very meaningful achievement.” NYRA President an d CEO Christop her Kay
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