Woodhaven

Street Changes Impacting Woodhaven Being Voted on Tuesday

A pair of street changes that wiull impact Woodhaven will be voted upon by Community Board 9 on Tuesday.  Although the Woodhaven Residents' Block Association was invited to a meeting to discuss one of these changes a year ago, were were not advised or approached since then.  We were also advised that residents would be polled or surveyed about their opinions on this change, but as far as we know that never happened.  If any Woodhaven residents' received a survey about any of these changes, please drop us a line.

UPDATE:  The vote will take place Tuesday, January 10 - the meeting begins at 7:45  and will be held at The Punjabi Palace 91-52 Lefferts Boulevard in Richmond Hill.  If you object to this plan, you can help by coming to the meeting, signing up and speaking for 3 minutes.  You can also help us by dropping a polite e-mail to Community Board 9 at communitybd9@nyc.rr.com or by calling (718) 286-2686.

UPDATE 2:

 

UPDATE #3

Assemblyman Mike Miller has sent a letter and spoke to CB9 about postponing the vote --

 

 

84th Street 

It is proposed to change 84th Street, from One-Way North Bound to One-Way South Bound from Liberty to Atlantic Avenues.  Although this change occurs beyond the boundaries of Woodhaven (on the other side of Atlantic Avenue) it will eliminate one of the main Northbound entry points into Woodhaven.  Once this change goes into place, only Woodhaven Boulevard and 76th Street will be left as Northbound roads that cross Atlantic.

Here is the current map of Atlantic -- notice how 84th crosses Atlantic.  From there , once you make a quick turn on to 85th Street (at 89th Avenue) you can continue all the way through Woodhaven, across Jamaica Avenue all the way up to Park Lane South.

 

Let's look at the proposed change -- the convenient access path into Woodhaven is eliminated.  Residents and shoppers will have to go blocks east or west to get into Woodhaven.  How will this impact emergency services?  How will this impact Engine 293 when they are returning from a run on the other side of Atlantic?  We don't know -- and if there was a study done that asked these questions, the WRBA was never made aware of their results.

89th Avenue

This change may be less controversial.  Then again, as we first heard about it yesterday, perhaps we haven't thought it all the way through.  Again, if residents in the area were polled or surveyed, please let us know.

Currently, 89th Avenue from Woodhaven Boulevard to 97th Street is 2-way.  On the other side of the boulevard, 89th Avenue is one way westbound.

It is proposed to turn 89th Avenue from Woodhaven Boulevard to 97th Street into a 1-way street, eastbound.  If you live on 97th Street near the Avenue, it means you need to drive up to 91st Avenue (two-way) to get to Woodhaven Boulevard.  

Our one concern is that 89th Avenue used to be a straight ride through Woodhaven from 98th to 85th.  In fact, it was identified as one of Woodhaven's PRIMARY ROADS by the DSNY in the aftermath of last winter's blizzards.

Overall, though, that 2nd change doesn't strike us as too bad.  89th Avenue off of Woodhaven is narrow.  

But, again, we have to ask what kind of notification they gave the community -- what kind of feedback did they try and get?

It's not as if the WRBA is hard to get in touch with -- we have phones, fax machines, email -- we're on Facebook, Twitter -- 

And so, the WRBA joins the Greater Woodhaven Development Corporation and the Woodhaven Business Improvement District in opposing thse changes and will respectfully ask the Community Board to table these votes until the community can be better involved in the discussion leading up to a vote.

You can help us by dropping a polite e-mail to Community Board 9 at communitybd9@nyc.rr.com

Please ask them to consider tabling the vote --

 

 

Woodhaven Town Hall Meeting on Rezoning Jan 21

The Woodhaven Residents Block Association will host a presentation by the NYC Department of City Planning on Saturday, January 21st at 1 PM.  The meeting will be held at the Woodhaven Volunteer Ambulance Corps (78-15 Jamaica Avenue).  

The new zoning laws will determine the size and shape of Woodhaven in the very near future.  The question is -- do you want Woodhaven to expand housing, to expand development in the resedential areas.  The current proposal seeks to discourage development -- to avoid furthering the overcrowding that has resulted in limited parking, more noise and traffic, more garbage and a depletion of services.  Schools are already complaining of overcrowded classes -- the city has been looking to cut down on services such as transit and firefighting.  

Think of how much worse these problems will be with apartment houses, or extra-large housing popping up all over the place.

This is your best chance to learn about this proposal -- and show support for it to protect your investment in this community.  If you won't speak up to protect your investment, to protect your family, to protect your family -- what exactly will you speak up for?

Saturday, January 21st at 1 PM is your chance to speak up.

102 Pct. Holds Blood Drive January 3rd

The 102nd Precinct works hard to serve and protect the residents of Woodhaven, Richmond Hill, Kew Gardens and Ozone Park 365 days a year.  And now they are turning to those they protect for help for a few hours.  

The 102is holding a Blood Drive on Tuesday, January 3rd from 11:45 AM to 5:45 PM at the 102nd Precinct which is located at 87-34 118th Street in Richmond Hill.  Each donation received will help to save up to THREE lives.

Eligibility Criteria: 

• Bring ID with signature or photo. 
• Minimum weight 110 lbs.
• Age 16 – 75 (16 year olds must have parental permission. Age 76 and over need doctor's note)
• Eat well (low fat) & drink fluids
• No tattoos for past 12 months

For questions concerning medical eligibility call 1-800-688-0900.  For more information or to schedule an appointment, please contact 102 Pct. Community Affairs at (718) 805-3215.

WRBA Hosts Red Cross Emergency Preparedness Seminar

 

The Woodhaven Residents' Block Association is helping the residents of Woodhaven prepare for the upcoming winter by hosting a presentation by the American Red Cross entitled "Ready New York." This 45 minute emergency preparedness presentation teaches residents how to create a plan, build a supply kit, as well as keep loved ones safe and informed during times of disaster.  Participants will receive an interactive CD Rom that can be used to create a customized evacuation plan and other tools that will help any family get prepared.  Also included are various brochures from the American Red Cross and the New York City Office of Emergency Management. 

"Last winter we were hit by a massive blizzard right after Christmas and many of our residents were stuck in their homes for almost a week," said WRBA President Ed Wendell.  "We want to make sure that if that happens again, we're all better prepared for it."  The meeting will take place at 1 PM on Saturday, December 17th at the Woodhaven-Richmond Hill Ambulance Corps (78-15 Jamaica Avenue).

The WRBA will also continue signing up residents at part of their Block Captain program, which signs up local residents to be part of a communications network in the event of an emergency.  The WRBA reports that they currently have close to 40% of Woodhaven covered.  "In the wake of Hurricane Irene, we were able to quickly put together a comprehensive report of damage in our community," Wendell said.  "This winter, when we get hit with snow, we'll be able to report directly to the Department of Sanitation and tell them which streets need plowing.  We feel that an orderly, organized approach such as this will help us get better service."

Click here for a full sized version of the map.  

The WRBA was formed in 1972. Its stated purpose at the time remains its mission today: to foster "an interest in civic, social and political affairs." The WRBA advocates on behalf of the residents of Woodhaven, promotes neighborhood spirit by bringing together residents and local leaders, and seeks to engage all in the betterment of our community.

In addition to the upcoming winter, the WRBA will also discuss recent efforts to make changes to the laws regarding illegal signs and give an update on efforts to build a coalition to seek landmark status for the Forest Park Carousel.  We will also discuss the recent arrest of 2 graffiti vandals, arrests that were the direct result of information passed along to the NYPD by the Woodhaven Residents' Block Association.

 

Traditional Holiday Happenings in Woodhaven

The first Friday of December is the traditional kick-off for the Holiday Season in Woodhaven -- and a wonderful weekend of free events kicks off this year's Holiday Season starting next Friday, December 2nd.  But before we get to the list of events, we're going to ask you to consider making a small donation to the Annual Christmas Party for the developmentally challenged adults of the Forest Park Aktion Club.

This is one of the nicest events held each year in Woodhaven -- and these folks deeply appreciate every little gift they receive.  You should see the smiles on their faces, it will warm your heart --

This year, we are asking for donations of basic needs items -- toothbrushes, toothpaste, aftershave, perfume, combs, brushes, etc.  And if you don't have time to go shopping, you can always make a small donation and we'll do the shopping for you.  Last weekend, at the meeting of the Woodhaven Residents' Block Association, we collected about $200 in cash donations and supplies -- putting us at around %50 of what we need.

One simple 5 dollar donation from you will put a smile of the face of one of these kind souls -- please give it some consideration.  You can drop it off at the WRBA's Office (84-20 Jamaica Avenue) -- if we're not there, leave it with the Cleaner next door.  

Or -- you can bring it with you to Woodhaven's First Annual Christmas Parade Watching Party!

Each year, over two hundred marchers (including a school band and members of the Franklin K. Lane ROTC) march in the Annual Woodhaven Christmas Parade from 96th Street and Jamaica Avenue to Eldert's Lane, outside the gates of Franklin K. Lane.  Unfortunately, not too many people come out to see it.  It's a shame, because it's a real nice event --

On the morning of the Parade (Saturday, December 3rd) we're having a party at the WRBA Office -- there will be free bagels, rolls, coffee, tea, etc. -- and when the parade passes by, we're going to go outside and cheer them on and make some noise.

Many people complain about the lack of community spirit these days -- well, here's your chance to show some -- and cheer on some people who are showing community spirit by marching in the parade.  They should be passing by our office (84-20) around Noon -- we're going to start serving about 10:45.  Bring a noisemaker -- and if you don't have one, bring a pot and a spoon and give it a good old-fashioned beating!

The weekend's festivities kick off the night before -- the lighting of Woodhaven's 75-foot Holiday Tree will take place on Friday, December 2nd at 7 PM at the intersection of Forest Parkway and Jamaica Avenue. Local civic leaders, business owners and elected officials will attend the traditional event, which is sponsored by the Woodhaven Business Improvement District.  It's always well-attended and has a very small-town American vibe about it.

There will be numerous costumed characters for the children to enjoy including Rudolph, Frosty, Shrek and Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus. They will all hang around after the tree lighting to take pictures with children.  

The Avenue lights, which have been hung from the elevated train for decades, will also get lit.  Can't wait to see how they look on our newly painted El.

On the same evening, the Boy Scouts of Woodhaven -- the same exact chapter of the Boy Scouts that has been continuously operating in Woodhaven since the 1930s -- will be preparing their Holiday Wreaths.  You can drop by Emanuel Church (91st Avenue and Woodhaven Boulevard) on Friday Night to watch them build the wreaths (and to get an early pick) --

The wreaths go for $15 -- and they are gorgeous.  Look below to see our wreath from last year, during one of our blizzards.  Why go spend money of a cheap wreath at Home Depot when you can support a worthy organization like the Boy Scouts?  To order one, call Pam or Walter at 718-296-3877 --

To summarize:

• Friday Night (Dec. 2) Christmas Tree Lighting - 7 PM
• Saturday Morning (Dec. 3rd) Christmas Parade Watching Party (After 10:45 AM) 
• Remember to bring a small donation for the Aktion Club and pick up a wreath from the Boy Scouts!

If you have any events you'd like added to the Calendar -- let us know!

 

Woodhaven Plans For Long, Long Winter

The recent Halloween weekend snowstorm may have seemed like a fun novelty, but we're certain that we'll see a lot more of the white stuff over the next 3 or 4 months and it will be anything but fun.  Last year, on December 26th, a major blizzard hit the northeast and most roads in and around Woodhaven did not see a plow until 5 days had passed.  Some streets were still not plowed a full week after the snowfall had ended.  It was a very dangerous situation we all found ourselves in.

The City took a well deserved beating and they worked hard to improve their image, but their performance in the next snowstorm, 3 weeks later, still left a lot to be desired.  It was at that time that the Woodhaven Residents Block Association (WRBA) decided that we needed to be better organized on the ground, to provide better information to the city with the end result being better service in an emergency. We reactivated the Block Captain program here in Woodhaven, looking to sign up at least one representative from each block who we can rely on to pass along information about conditions on their block.  Here's how it works: when a snowstorm hits we send out the word to our Block Captains and they get back to us, letting us know if their street has been plowed or not.  We can then contact the proper agency (e.g. Department of Sanitation) and give them a comprehensive list of what streets need to be addressed.

Our belief is that by providing this information to the city in an orderly and organized manner we will get better service in return.  It will also help us when reporting back to our elected officials on the city's performance.  Currently, we have about one-third of Woodhaven covered by Block Captains, but we'd feel much more comfortable going into this Winter with two-thirds, or more.  What does it require to be a Block Captain?  If you can open your front door and see the street, and you can pass along the status of your street to us via E-mail or telephone, you can be a Block Captain.  Service as a Block Captain is as anonymous as you want - people will not be knocking on your door with their general complaints.

Click Here To See A Map Of Blocks With Captains!

By the way, it's not only for blizzards that we use our Block Captain program - surveying the neighborhood's damage in the wake of Hurricane Irene was made much easier with the help of our Block Captains.  It's a simple and easy way to ensure that we are as organized and prepared as possible for any kind of an emergency.  We will be discussing our plans for the upcoming Winter, and our Block Captain program, at our monthly Town Hall meeting this Saturday, November 19th at 1 PM at the Woodhaven Volunteer Ambulance Corps (78-15 Jamaica Avenue).  A representative of the 102nd Precinct will also be there to discuss the state of Woodhaven.  And, as always, our floor will be open to discuss any issues or problems about Woodhaven you feel needs to be addressed.  We hope to see you there.

If you are interested in signing up, but cannot make the meeting, call our office at 718-296-3735 and leave a message or E-mail us at info@woodhaven-nyc.org.

Woodhaven Murder: Photo Of Man Wanted For Questioning Released

UPDATE:  Mostafa Omran was arrested and arraigned, charged with murder.

http://queens.ny1.com/content/top_stories/150693/woodhaven-man-charged-with-killing-neighbor

The NYPD is seeking the individual in this photograph for questioning in connection with the homicide that occurred on or about October 24th, 2011 at 88-05 91st Avenue in Woodhaven, Queens.  He is identified as Mostafa Omran, 56, and he was a resident at the same address.

54-year-old attorney Yasmeen Rabbani's body was discovered lying near her kitchen Sunday evening after attempts by her family to reach her were unsuccessful. She had three stab wounds in her neck and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Please contact Detective Curley at the 102nd Detective Squad at 718-805-3212 with any information you may have regarding the location of Mostafa Omran.

Forest Park Halloween Canine Costume Contest

On Saturday Oct. 29th, the residents of Woodhaven and the surrounding communities will gather at the Forest Park Dog Run (85th Street and Park Lane South) for the Annual K-9 Korral Halloween Costume Contest.  The gathering begins at 1 PM and the festivities will continue until 3.  Refreshments will be served - you do not have to have a pet to come down and enjoy the fun.  Judging begins at 2 PM -- there will be prizes for Best Costume, Best Original Costumer, Best Group -- make sure you stay and enjoy the Bobbing for Hot Dogs contest at 2:45.

Please help keep the homeless cats and dogs warm and comfortable by donating Comforters / Blankets / Sheets / Pillowcases / Quilts / Baby Blankets, fleece, cotton or flannel fabric etc.  Cat and Dog toys and treats are needed, as well.  All of these items will be collected these items on the same day as the K-9 Korral Halloween Costume Contest (Saturday Oct. 29th).  These items will be handed over to the Animal Care and Control Shelter on Linden Blvd.

For more information on the Costume contest or the collection, or if you have stuff for the collection that needs to be picked up, please call Charlotte at 917-337-7613.  The rain date for this event is the next day, Sunday October 30th from 1 to 3 PM.

Golf Benefit in Woodhaven to Fight Autism

On Thursday, October 13th at 10 AM, residents of Woodhaven and surrounding communities of Queens, Brooklyn, Manahattan and beyond will gather at the Forest Park Golf Course to participate in a fundraiser to help research, treat, and find a cure for autism.  For a donation of $125, participants will play 18 rounds of Golf, including use of a motorized golf cart, free beverage & food tickets and donors’ names placed on www.neirstavern.com as autism participants. 

Learn more about Autism here.

Local civic leaders, FDNY, union and municipal employees with children with autism have been invited to speak at the event, the 2nd time such an event has been held.  All non-golfers can attend the after-party at Neir’s Tavern (87-48 78th Street, Woodhaven NY 11421) for a donation of $65 which includes a Buffet Dinner, an Open Bar from 4 to 7 PM, a 50/50 raffle, Live Music and over $2,000 in prizes all evening.

Last year's event began when a resident of Woodhaven and close friend of Dave Ross and John Nardella was stricken with cancer and had no funds to fight it.  Ross and Nardella approached local business owner Loycent Gordon, of Woodhaven’s historic Neir’s Tavern, about doing a golf outing for this beloved resident. They joined forces and resources to hold the first annual golf benefit in 2010. The event was such a success that they continued with it this year with a focus on fighting autism. “A community is only as strong as its' weakest link so we listen to what the community tells us and use this golf benefit to fund that gap” says Gordon.

In the last 12 months Neir’s Tavern & Café have raised over $14,000 dollars for different charities including Haiti relief, Cancer Benefit for little CJ and The Woodhaven-Richmond Hill Volunteer Ambulance Corp among others.  For More information contact Loy Gordon at 212-920-1560 or Dave Ross 646-752-6599 or go to www.neirstavern.com.

Woodhaven Straw Poll - How Did Your Issues Fare?

At the most recent Woodhaven Town Hall meeting, we had a little experiment.  A number of the issues that are frequently called in, or discussed at meetings, were put on display, on a table -- each problem affixed to a cup.  Noise, Illegal Conversions, Illegal Signs, etc.  Over a dozen different "issue cups" were put out.  And as each resident came into the meeting they were handed 7 straws.

The idea was that they had to place a straw into each cup which they felt needed attention.  And if they felt that a particular issue needed extra attention, they could place 3 or 4 or all 7 of their straws in that issue cup.  Residents took their allotted straws and began voting in our "straw poll" --

One resident said they needed more than 7 straws -- illustrating the point of limited resources.  We'd like to concentrate on all of the issues -- but sometimes we have to pick and choose our battles, and this experiment was designed to see which issues mattered most to the residents of Woodhaven.  And if a particular issue was not on the table, they were free to add their own issue cup. 

It was an interesting experiment, as were the results.  "Not Enough Police" came in first with 46 straws (22%), "Illegal Conversions" was in second place with 25 straws (12%) and "Gangs" came in third with 23 straws (11%).

Here are the complete results -- how did the issues that matter most to you fare?

1) Not Enough Police 46 (22%)
2) Illegal Conversions 25 (12%)
3) Gangs 23 (11%)
4) Dirty Streets 20 (10%)
5) Graffiti Vandals 18 (9%)
6) Noisy Neighbors 16 (8%)
7) Noisy Cars 15 (7%)
8) Illegal Driveways 10 (4%)
9) Illegal Dumping 9 (3%)
9) Out Of State Parking 9 (3%)
11) Forest Park Carousel 8 (3%)
12) Bad Snow Response 7 (3%)
13) JHS 210 Students Destroying Property 6 (2%)
13) Illegal Signs 6 (2%)
15) Clogged Sewers 2 (1%)

A few notes:

** Some people felt that Noisy Neighbors and Noisy Cars should have been a single issue -- combined they got 31 straws (15%), good enough for 2nd Place.

** Some issues may be seasonal.  Perhaps if we took this straw poll again after the next blizzard, the snow response issue may have gotten more than 3%.  On the other hand, we did have a long session with the Department of Sanitation at a prior meeting - perhaps the residents were satisfied with the answers they received.

** The issue with students at JHS 210 was added by a resident, we will be meeting with residents and gathering more details on this issue.

It was an interesting experiment -- and the results have given us food for thought.  We'll be having a 2nd Round of our Woodhaven Straw Poll soon -- make sure you attend a Town Hall meeting so you can make sure your voice is counted!  the next Woodhaven Town Hall is on Saturday, October 15th at 1 PM -- at the Woodhaven-Richmond Hill Ambulance Corps (78-15 Jamaica Avenue).