Hevesi Honored by Selection
Dear Bob:

Many thanks for choosing me to be the Juniper Park Civic Association's man of the year and highlighting my record in your wonderful publication The Juniper Berry. Such an honor from a pre-eminent Civic Association such as JPCA is most gratifying.

I look forward to continuing the decades old relationship I have had with JPCA and its families for many years to come.

Thank you so much for this high honor.

Sincerely,
Alan G. Hevesi
Comptoller
City of New York

Farm Family Member
Dear Sir:
I am John C. Pav residing in Huntington Station, New York. I would like to join the civic association. Let me know what dues are. I’m, a decendant of the Bohlert family. I was born (March 23, 1922) and lived at the Bohlert’s farm which was located at 82nd Street and Eliot Avenue. My mother was Elizabeth Bohlert.

Thank you.

Retired U.S.A.F.
Major John C. Pav
Huntington Station, NY

Berry Nice Job
Dear Sir:
I really enjoy reading the Queens Ledger and also look forward for the Juniper Berry Magazine.

Thanks to all the volunteer staff, they all are doing a terrific job.

I want to wish you all a Happy and Healthy New Year. Keep up the good work. “God bless all.”

Thank you,
Mrs. J. Tscherne
Middle Village

Dangerous Intersections
Dear Mr. Holden,

Enclosed please find a check for a 2-year membership in the Juniper Park Civic Association. We are very proud to be members.

It is so often that we forget to say “thank you” when things are going well but we remember when things go wrong.
So thank you for the Juniper Berry magazine which is just great!

Keep up the good work.

Thank you,
Tracey & John Gregory

Dangerous Intersections
Dear Sir or Madam:
Have you noticed that the intersection at 80th Street and Eliot Ave. is becoming more dangerous since the number of cars in the area have increased? Can something be done to allow pedestrians additional time to cross the street? The turning cars pose a hazard and I do believe that turn signals on the lights would be of some help. A number of pedestrians have been struck and killed at this intersection. When I moved in the area in 1955 we actually had a police crossing guard–”Ben”– who was friendly with all the people in the area and had a positive effect on the rate of speed at this very heavily traveled intersection.
p.s.-It is hoped that your efforts to include this area into the Middle Village designation from South Elmhurst will be successful. At one time I called the Precinct covering this area–104–and the policeman who answered the call could not identify the area and was unaware that their precinct was responsible for covering calls.

Very truly yours,
Marjorie B.Bird
Elmhurst

Dear Editor:
In the past I gave you information about the circle on 69th Street and 69th Place (corner Juniper Valley Road). When 69th Sreet has a red light, cars go around that circle to 69th Place and back to 69th Street. This is hazardous to the public and children attending P.S. 128.
We need a “No Left Turn” sign there.

And what about those billboards along the expressway, especially the one when you enter Grand Avenue exit, this destracts motorists and is hazardous.
Thank you.

Vinnie Lombardo
Maspeth

Calling All Proud MV residents
Dear Editor:
I have been a resident of Middle Village since 1986. I moved to Middle Village simply because I loved the area with its suburban atmosphere, quaint village look and many other comforting qualities.

Over these years, I have seen a turnover of property owners and neglect of the streets in our area. I am constantly sweeping and cleaning my comer property of debris that is blown onto my property as well as along mine or my neighbors curb.

Middle Village is such a pretty town. Why don't all Middle Village residents and homeowners make a conscious effort to pick-up the debris that is carelessly thrown out of car windows, dropped accidentally by Sanitation and uncaring people.

Middle Village dog-owners should also never neglect to pick-up after their pets. This goes for the dog walkers in our town's local streets and in Juniper Valley Park. I have a dog but, I would never think to leave his waste to annoy others. This is totally disrespectful of your “Neighbors” AND “Neighborhood.”

Let's make this a Middle Village residents team effort! I think in doing so, the careless people will then be too embarrassed to discard anything on our beautiful streets throughout this fine lovely neighborhood. Let's all work together at keeping Middle Village at its best!

Sincerely,
L. Pellegrino
Middle Village
Dear Editor:

No Snow Removal
Dear Mr. Holden,
Who was in charge of snow removal on the walking overpass connecting 84 Street over the LIE? I pass over this footbridge on average 2 times a day (with a double stroller) to take my son to school and to go to church. The snow was so bad, my husband and I and another neighbor had to shovel a path ourselves. On any given day you will find me picking up shards of glass that youth have broken. There is also tons of graffiti written on the path itself and they have even managed to get some onto the chainlink fences now. The most offensive is the graffiti and swears on the entrance to the bridge on the 84 Street and 57 Road side. I would like these problems taken care of please. Thank you in advance and please keep me advised as to what is happening.

On another note: Crowley Park in Elmhurst was recently cleaned and a footpath installed around the back. The only problem was it was done in large stones and there is no support near the bottom (on the sidewalk) to keep the stones from spilling out, making it impossible to walk. They put in a wooden beam every few yards to keep them from sliding, but not on the sidewalk – could this be rectified? The same area also has a HUGE amount of dog waste (even on the sidewalk) – why can't someone install an enclosed dog walk so these people would be forced to look after their own pets?!?!? There is enough unused land right along the LIE.

Tiffany Elliott
Elmhurst

It's the Sanitation Department's responsibility to shovel and clear snow away from city owned bridges and overpasses. We have been complaining about the problem to Community Board #5 and Councilman Ognibene's office. As for the graffiti, DOT should handle that. You can e-mail or call Community Board 5 with both complaints. Tell them you spoke to me. e-mail:commbd5Q@rcn.com phone: 718-366-1834
ed.

Setting the record Straight

Dear Editor:
I feel compelled to write this letter.

In the article on Frank Principe in the December 2000 issue of the Juniper Berry (page 24) there is a very misleading paragraph regarding the roller hockey rink site in Juniper Park.

By way of clarification it should have been stated that the site of the current rink was totally created by Bob Holden, President of the JPCA. Holden devised this plan with the thought that when the baseball fields were ready for their much needed rehabilitation a more modern facility could be utilized. Hence the debut of the “spiral plan,” which has been overwhelmingly adopted by CB 5, and is scheduled for construction in the near future (thanks to funding from the office of our Councilman, Tom Ognibene).

The hockey site, which was reluctantly adopted by the Parks Department, was devised by Bob Holden with the important thought of putting the rink in an area where it could have the least disruption on the surrounding neighborhood. He certainly succeeded in that goal.

We had seen the disastrous site picked by the Parks Department for the hockey rink in Mafera Park in Ridgewood and the very negative impact it has had on that neighborhood. We didn't want a repeat of the usual Parks Department errors in judgment.

Anyone viewing the current state of the art hockey rink in Juniper Valley Park will agree that it is appropriately located for the least negative impact on the community. Also, very importantly, it will permit the current spiral baseball field to be installed and this will also be a state of the art facility. A true win/win situation for our community.

None of these comments are meant to detract or denigrate any contribution Frank Principe has made to the community. He is a neighborhood treasure whom we all love and respect.
Lorraine Sciulli
Vice President, JPCA
(member of CB5 Parks Committee)