News article on community park spring cleaning event, 2001

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

Islanders take spring cleaning outdoors to spruce up r rks

■ Tappen Park and Kingfisher Denise Olsen and Isabel Yard, both from Great Kills, organized the event and posted flyers in the ' Pond both get attention neighborhood to promote it Several local delis and venders donated sandwiches, bagels and beverages to keep the group energized. By JILL GARDINER “We have a lovely park here and we want to main­ ADVANCE STAFF WRITER tain it and keep it clean,” said Mrs. Yard, who also enlisted her 6-year-old quadruplets — two boys and Staten Islanders took their spring cleaning out­ twogirls =-to help.' -------------- doors yesterday to spruce up two parks just in time Mrs. Olsen, who brought her three children, said for summer enjoyment. the park was littered with liquor bottles and beer Assemblyman John Lavelle (D-North Shore) was cans. joined by 15 helpers to kick off a series of upcoming “We want to teach our children now to respect” cleanups at Tappen Park in Stapleton. The group their surroundings, she said. “To me it’s a matter of hauled away more than a dozen bags filled with glass taking pride in the community and taking ownership liquor bottles, aluminum beer cans and miscellane­ of the pond.” ous trash. She has already contacted somebody from the city Lavelle said the event, which lasted about three Parks and Recreation Department to clean old tires hours, would help improve the quality of life in the and furniture out of the pond, which the area resi­ neighborhood and help foster safe recreational envi­ dents cannot handle on their own. ronments for residents and their families. Lavelle said he’d like to see the department get “These parks are being used by adults and chil­ more funding and that cleanups need to be a coopera­ dren,” Lavelle said yesterday. “We want them to be tive effort. safe and we want the community to have a hand in “The Parks Department is doing everything they maintaining them.” can with the [limited] resources they have,” said Lav­ A few miles away at Kingfisher Pond in Great elle. “But it’s nice to see the community get in­ Kills a team of about 30 residents spent their after­ volved.” noon doing the same thing. Armed with shovels, Lavelle’s office is organizing similar cleanups rakes and trash bags, they cleared away broken throughout the summer at a handful of other North glass, tangled fishing lines, cigarette butts, crushed Shore parks including Westerleigh Park, Mariners cans and soggy paper litter. Marsh, Walker Park and Tompkinsville Park.

siftdvcince 5a&os

NYC-WTC_000143025