Tell Us About YOUR Waterfront: Upper Ditmars Session

[greenshoresnyc]

IT'S YOUR WATERFRONT: TELL US ABOUT IT!

WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 2010
6:30-9PM
Pistilli Grand Manor 45-02 Ditmars Blvd
(Enter side entrance on 45th Street at mid-block)

Green Shores NYC is partnering with the Trust for Public Land to produce a community-driven vision for
the Astoria/Long Island City waterfront. This summer, weʼre holding a series of Listening Sessions in
neighborhoods throughout Astoria and Long Island City, Queens.

In the fall, two more Community Workshops will focus on specific issues
and ideas for the future!

WE WANT TO KNOW:
Where are you going along the waterfront?
What activities are you doing there?
Which areas are working well?
Which areas arenʼt working well?

This session will focus on the Upper Ditmars area, which includes our
waterfront from just north of Demarco Park to Bowery Bay.

ALL ARE WELCOME!!!
For more information visit: www.greenshoresnyc.org

[jennifer]

This session will focus on the Upper Ditmars area, which includes our
waterfront from just north of Demarco Park to Bowery Bay.

Is there anything in this area that is accessible to the public? 

[oliver klosoff]

i lol'd.
accessible? that shoreline isn't even visible from any public place.
i wonder how much money has already been invested in the planning stage of this (non-existant) public land issue,
i'd imagine pistilli charged a nice size retal fee for use in his building for an evening, lets hope it wasnt tax dollars.

[Dain Bramage]

I do believe when they say "waterfront" they mean the grass and path that follows the shoreline and not the actual place where water meets land.  If I ever drive down that stretch from 19th avenue, it looks fine to me.   I say make Astoria Park closer too 100% before you start worrying about anything else.

[oliver klosoff]

I do believe when they say "waterfront" they mean the grass and path that follows the shoreline and not the actual place where water meets land.  If I ever drive down that stretch from 19th avenue, it looks fine to me.

lol, wut?
what grass and path?  on 19th ave?  thats 100% industrial.
the shoreline in question is 100% totally occupied by electricity plants, fuel companies, and a sewer treatment plant.
there is the bowery bay marina, but 99.9% of astorians don't even know its there, and half of the .1% who do know probably couldn't find the entrance if their life depended on it.

[Hanahlly]

lol, wut?
what grass and path?  on 19th ave?  thats 100% industrial.
the shoreline in question is 100% totally occupied by electricity plants, fuel companies, and a sewer treatment plant.
there is the bowery bay marina, but 99.9% of astorians don't even know its there, and half of the .1% who do know probably couldn't find the entrance if their life depended on it.

Maybe it's the patch of "beach" that the community boathouse launches the free kayak paddle events from?

[Dain Bramage]

Maybe it's the patch of "beach" that the community boathouse launches the free kayak paddle events from?

I meant the area north of where Shore Blvd meets Ditmars.  Is it still shore blvd then?  It goes nearly all the way up to 19th ave.   The river side of Shore Blvd in that area is what I assumed they were talking about.

[Hanahlly]

I meant the area north of where Shore Blvd meets Ditmars.  Is it still shore blvd then?  It goes nearly all the way up to 19th ave.   The river side of Shore Blvd in that area is what I assumed they were talking about.

Then add me to the confused list. I too don't know where the public has access to the direct waterfront. Isn't everything over there fenced off so that the public can't access the water for swimming, kayaking, etc?

[greenshoresnyc]

Just wanted to answer a few questions:
•   Yes, the area we’re focusing on at Wed’s session—the northernmost section of Astoria waterfront, from roughly 20th ave to the airport- is almost all industrial and  inaccessible to the public. The exceptions are a small marina and a few ballfields used by local sports leagues.
•   Wednesday’s meeting is the first of six we’ll be holding  in neighborhoods throughout Astoria/LIC. We’re asking the same questions at all six sessions and want to hear from as many people as possible. So, yes, questions like “Where do you go along the waterfront?” will likely elicit different answers from people who live along  Upper Ditmars than from people who live near places like Hallets Cove or Hunters Point.  Sorry for not making this clearer.
•   Green Shores NYC is  a local non-profit  dedicated to improving the waterfront parks and shoreline in Astoria & LIC .We’re entirely run and staffed by volunteers. We’re not part of any City agency.  The Trust for Public Land is a national non-profit dedicated to preserving open space.
•   The site used by the Long Island City Community Boathouse for free kayaking is Hallets Cove Beach,  just north of Socrates Sculpture Park. We’re proud to count the LICCB as one of our member organizations and definitely recommend paddling with them on Sundays!
•   The area along the waterfront  just north of where Shore Blvd meets Ditmars is Ralph DeMarco Park.
•   Hope this clears up some of the confusion.A lot of the activities we’ll be doing at the listening sessions involve looking closely at giant satellite image maps of the areas being discussed, so please come join us and tell us what you think!

[oliver klosoff]

I meant the area north of where Shore Blvd meets Ditmars.  Is it still shore blvd then?  It goes nearly all the way up to 19th ave.   The river side of Shore Blvd in that area is what I assumed they were talking about.

this is outside of their parameters.  they want to hear about from con-ed to bowery bay.

i hope money isn't being wasted on six different venues to hear about what the public has to say about how they use a shoreline that is totally inacessible.  if someone from the org actually got up and toured the area, all your questiones would have been answered.  the marina is private property and only for people who rent dockspace there, not open to public use.  elmjack ball fields are only open when the little leagues are playing, and not open for people to go exploring the waterfront.  just look at google maps and see how much waterfront is accessible, that would save you the time, effort, and finances of renting venues for six community meetings.  if there actually was a public-use shoreline, then maybe these meetings might've meant something.

[Hanahlly]

Just wanted to answer a few questions:
•   Yes, the area we’re focusing on at Wed’s session—the northernmost section of Astoria waterfront, from roughly 20th ave to the airport- is almost all industrial and  inaccessible to the public. The exceptions are a small marina and a few ballfields used by local sports leagues.
•   Wednesday’s meeting is the first of six we’ll be holding  in neighborhoods throughout Astoria/LIC. We’re asking the same questions at all six sessions and want to hear from as many people as possible. So, yes, questions like “Where do you go along the waterfront?” will likely elicit different answers from people who live along  Upper Ditmars than from people who live near places like Hallets Cove or Hunters Point.  Sorry for not making this clearer.
•   Green Shores NYC is  a local non-profit  dedicated to improving the waterfront parks and shoreline in Astoria & LIC .We’re entirely run and staffed by volunteers. We’re not part of any City agency.  The Trust for Public Land is a national non-profit dedicated to preserving open space.
•   The site used by the Long Island City Community Boathouse for free kayaking is Hallets Cove Beach,  just north of Socrates Sculpture Park. We’re proud to count the LICCB as one of our member organizations and definitely recommend paddling with them on Sundays!
•   The area along the waterfront  just north of where Shore Blvd meets Ditmars is Ralph DeMarco Park.
•   Hope this clears up some of the confusion.A lot of the activities we’ll be doing at the listening sessions involve looking closely at giant satellite image maps of the areas being discussed, so please come join us and tell us what you think!

Thank you for the breakdown and specifics.