The Greater Woodhaven Development Corporation had their monthly meeting this past Tuesday (04/28) and the message that we came away with is that Woodhaven is facing some crucial issues and time is running out. But it's not too late, and there is something you can do -- and if you're a current resident of Woodhaven, read on, and you'll find out what that is.
Maria Thomson - Executive Director of the Greater Woodhaven Development Corporation, held court and gave a report on the issues that are facing Woodhaven residents and the news is not all good. For starters, there is a very real threat that we may lose not only the Z Train, but the Q56 Bus that runs along Jamaica Avenue.
Now, this bus isn't only vital to our business district -- it's a vital mode of transportation for Woodhaven's residents, particularly the elderly and the handicapped. Here is the first part of Maria's report:
Put yourself in the position of an elderly person who lives on 88th Street and needs to go to Jamaica Hospital on a regular basis. Whereas the Q56 is a block or two away -- you will now have to walk those two blocks to Jamaica Avenue -- then an additional 4 or 5 blocks to the next train station -- and then up two large flights of stairs. On top of that, they are also threatening to cancel the Z line, which is the express train into Manhattan. If you don't like the thought of Woodhaven being without the Q56 or the Z line, then read on.
Recently, the DOT changed the meters in Woodhaven -- and throughout Queens -- where you now only get 20 minutes per quarter (instead of 30). What's worse is that they did this without any warning or notification at all.
This, on top of the proposed cancellation of the Q56, is a potential death knell to the businesses that line Jamaica Avenue. And, as we all know, these business are already having a tough time surviving. If you don't like the way Jamaica Avenue looks with the few shuttered storefronts we have now -- try to imagine many, many more gates pulled down for good. If you find that thought unappetizing, then read on.
It has also been reported that Engine Co. 293 -- on 87th St. -- is targeted for closure. The Fire Department is a vital first responder for many emergencies in the community and though we successfully staved off closure once before, the threat that Engine Co. 293 will close is very real. If you don't live nearby, the massive fire on 96th Street that destroyed 11 houses may have faded from your memories.
Without a quick response, the wind that day could have spread that fire further and we could have easily lost an entire block, or more -- not to mention the many lives that could have been lost that day. And without Engine Co. 293, speedy responses to such emergencies may not always be possible. Here's what Ms. Thomson had to report on that:
Now we had some representatives from our elected officials on hand to listen to our concerns and report on what's being done -- and to be clear, we do appreciate the hard work they put in every day on our behalf. But the sheer volume of issues that have piled up has increased the level of frustration amongst the residents of Woodhaven, and that frustration was ably expressed by former Woodhaven Residents' Block Association President Arlene Annunziata -- this is must-see video:
That, folks, is a wonderful summary of the situation we find ourselves in -- and expressed very well. We've lost hospitals, we're losing a bus line, we're losing a train line, we're losing a fire department, and decisions are being made that is severely damaging our business district. We recognize that things are tough all over -- but we also recognize that if we sit on our hands and do nothing, all of these bad things will come to pass.
So, what can you do?
The good news is that you do have people working on your behalf. The members of the Greater Woodhaven Development Corporation and Woodhaven Residents' Block Association have been meeting with your elected officials and telling them how we feel.
And representatives of our elected officials attend each and every meeting -- they are interested in our concerns.
But it makes it much tougher to demonstrate that there are consequences for ignoring Woodhaven if only a handful of folks show up.
So, what can you do?
You can show up at the next meeting of the Woodhaven Residents' Block Association. You can pass the word to your friends and neighbors. Send them a link to this page. Whatever it takes to get the word out. We need to pack this meeting and show our elected officials that we care.
The next meeting of the WRBA is on May 20th -- that's a little under three weeks away. It's held at the Woodhaven-Richmond Hill Volunteer Ambulance Corps (78-15 Jamaica Avenue) at 8 PM. Spread the word.
Feel free to discuss your thoughts here.
If you have any comments, or would like to suggest other projects, drop us a line at info@projectwoodhaven.com or projectwoodhaven@aol.com.
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