Fight to save Woodside’s de facto park
On Tuesday, June 15th Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer, Community Board 2 Chairman, Joseph Conley, and concerned neighbors joined forces in an attempt to save Woodside Triangle Park.
The Woodside Triangle is an odd island at at the junction of 34th Avenue and 59th and 60th streets. It has been used by residents as a de facto park for five decades–despite being privately owned.
The once thriving parcel of greenery was recently in the works to be Woodside’s newest Community Park. Despite impending approval of a capital funding request, developers who took over the property annihilated the once vibrant landscape and all that is left are piles of dirt. The developer wants to build a home on the 1,265-square foot lot.
The on-going battle to purchase the property has been brewing for nearly two years, but Van Bramer took issue to resolve this issue by taking the steps to secure the funds required to finally purchase this much-needed community space. The capital funding request which is less than two weeks from being finalized is the answer to this long standing issue. However, despite the significant progress being made, developers have turned a blind eye resulting in the complete destruction of one of Woodside’s rare green spaces.
“In a period of time where such green spaces are few and far between, we must fight to preserve those that still exist in our communities,” Van Bramer said. “This land, although it is now nothing more than a pile of dirt still has the potential to be reborn into the Community Park it was destined to be.”
