April 5, 2011 By Christian Murray
A number of Sunnyside residents have not given up the fight to stop Mayor Michael Bloomberg from renaming the Queensboro Bridge.
Bloomberg is scheduled to sign a recently-passed bill in to law next Monday that would rename it the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge. Last month, the city council voted 38-12 to change the name of the Queens icon after Koch. Many Queens residents have expressed outrage, arguing that the council’s vote opposed the wishes of the people.
On Sunday, Marc Crawford Leavitt, a Sunnyside resident who unsuccessfully ran in the Democratic primary for Queens Borough president in 2008, organized a group of 20 unhappy locals at Gantry Park to try and stop Bloomberg from signing the law. They created their own lyrics to a Simon & Garfunkel song and titled it: “This ain’t groovy.”
“We are hoping that this Youtube video goes viral and stops the mayor from signing the bill,” Leavitt said. He is urging people to forward the video to civic groups, blogs and Facebook.
Meanwhile, “Save the Bridge”, a group based out of Sunnyside, is asking Mayor Bloomberg not to sign the bill into law out of respect for the public. “Renaming a historic landmark so treasured by the public [if it were to be done] should be a grass roots effort, not top down,” said Patricia Dorfman (creative director of the Sunnyside Post). The group advocates that people throughout the city speak up loudly, before it is too late.”
Luke Adams, a Sunnyside resident, is also on the “Save the Bridge Committee” said the group started signature gathering today and already has over 75. The group urges those who want to keep the current Queensboro name as is, to e-mail savethebridge@yahoo.com and add their signature.
“Nothing against Mayors Bloomberg or Koch,” Adams says. “The Queensboro Bridge” name is treasured by the people.” Alternatively, residents can go to the group’s Facebook page to join, or express their thoughts. The address is: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-the-Bridge/162891700434787
Save the Bridge Petition by on Scribd
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4 Comments
This is a terrible idea. It’s a direct insult to Queens and all for the purpose of one politician’s ego.
If Koch were a decent person, he would tell the city council not to change the name of the bridge. At least we won’t have Cathie Black to kick around any more and Quinn was caught on tape having a hissy fit.
Cute video. I hope it makes its rounds on the interwebs.
The arrogant Mayor and his drones have spoken. Vote them out (the ones who are not yet term limited). And donate money to the people running against them. And think about the Queens politicos who voted for renaming the bridge: Liz Crowley, Julissa Ferreras, etc.