Spring Guide 2016

C M SG page 1 Y K

INSIDE : • • • •

Great outdoor activities Keeping the kids busy Learning that’s fun too Your parks and more...

QUEENS

SPRING GUIDE e 2016

2016

QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, April 14, 2016 Page 2

C M SG page 2 Y K

Are your child's immunizations up to date?

Shotsor

Spots?

GUIDE 2016

Call your child’s doctor today!

Fidelis Care is working to keep our members and the community healthy.

$ !%(") "!(%)&$() ()' ) )!'" &)$ () )&$()!( ("#(# &$( )"((!)&') $&)' ) " ( & '" ) " & '"#) #$'&# %'&( &)&$( ) %' )! " (%' #) $ !$''!)! #( #(#) ( )

TA BLE OF CONTEN T S • Animal house — enjoying a day at the Queens Zoo ........... 4 • Everyone for tennis — playing on USTA courts ................ 6

• • • • • •

Whooping Cough Polio Hepatitis Rotavirus Mumps Diphtheria

• • • •

Flu Measles Chickenpox Tetanus and more...

• A return to roots — the Queens Farm Museum .............. 7 • Land and sea — the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge ............ 8 • Flower power — the Queens Botanical Garden ............... 9 • Birds, buds and beauty — the Voelker Orth Museum ...... 10 • Bikes and boats — unique rentals at Wheel Fun............ 11 • Take a hike — at Alley Pond Environmental Center ......... 12

!( #) %()' (%#) ( ) '% ) & &( # '"#'%(!) %(()'%) ' '#&)$( &$) "# % " () ' (% () '% $ !%(") "!(%) )&$%' $)&$() $ !) ( &$) #) %' %

• Hands-on learning — the New York Hall of Science ........ 14

SPRING GUIDE e 2016

• No pain, no gain — work it at Al Oerter Rec Center ....... 15

1-888-FIDELIS )fideliscare.org (1-888-343-3547) | TTY: 1-800-421-1220

• Endless education — Queens Library kids’ activities ....... 16 • A day trip to LI — visit the Bayard Cutting Arboretum..... 17 • Parks galore — some of Queens’ top green spaces ....... 18

To learn more about applying for health insurance including Child Health Plus and Medicaid through NY State of Health, the Official Health Plan Marketplace, visit www.nystateofhealth.ny.gov or call 1-855-355-5777.

FIDH-069376

On the cover: The Hall of Science / photo by Laura A. Shepard; Jamaica Bay kayaking / Queens Chronicle photo; kids’ activities and crop tending at the Queens County Farm Museum / Lily Kesselman Photography.

On this page: A surrey in Flushing Meadows Corona Park / photo courtesy Wheel Fun Rentals.

Supplement Editor: Peter C. Mastrosimone; Design: Ella Jipescu; Editorial Layout: Terry Nusspickel

C M SG page 3 Y K Page 3 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, April 14, 2016

Give the perfect gift for any occasion.

Gift Cards now available to all Maspeth Federal Savings customers.

路 No processing fee 路 Various design choices 路 Choose your dollar amount from $10-$1000

MASF-069360

SPRING GUIDE e 2016

maspethfederal.com

SPRING GUIDE e 2016

QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, April 14, 2016 Page 4

C M SG page 4 Y K

A day at the Queens Zoo

ANIMALS OF THE AMERICAS

by Michael Gannon

F

lushing Meadows Corona Park is a vast oasis of green within the bustle of Queens. And within the park, the Queens Zoo serves as a refuge for more than the animals housed there.

Part of the Wildlife Conservation Society, the Queens Zoo is not nearly as large as its sister menagerie in the Bronx. But its small size belies the number and variety of exhibits that place inhabitants in naturalistic environments.

Children and adults can enjoy the petting zoo and sea lions frolicking during their feeding times, but also come away with easy-tounderstand information on efforts to save endangered animals as well as the ever-shrinking habitats they need to survive in the wild.

The more than 70 species can keep visitors enthralled for a full morning or afternoon, while the small size and paved interlocking paths allow a casual visitor to catch a glimpse of all exhibits in under two hours.

“This a beautiful place with a beautiful collection of animals,” Scott Silver, director of the zoo, said. “Even some people who grew up here don’t know that they have such a valuable resource.”

Originally known as the Flushing Meadow Zoo from 1968 to 1988, it then closed and underwent massive changes, reopening four years later as the Queens Zoo. All the animals, from alligators to waterfowl, are native to North and South America, Silver said.

“We call it zoogeography,” he said.

The two attractions most crowded are the sea lion tank — especially during their thrice-daily public feeding sessions — and the aviary, an enclosed geodesic dome that first was built for the 1964-65 World’s Fair and now houses birds that nest from the ground to the treetops.

Thank goodness for chicken wire. A lynx greets a visitor.

One of the more popular attractions at the Queens Zoo is public feeding time for the small PHOTOS BY MICHAEL GANNON colony of sea lions, who get seafood snacks three times per day.

Once inside the main gate, the path around the zoo is an irregular oval shape.

During the school year classes of amazed young children on field trips can abound.

Walk to the right side upon entering and one can see a pair of Andean bears in their enclosure, while the left brings visitors along a path separating a waterfowl marsh from the seasonal American alligator habitat.

Vending machines distribute a handful (for children, anyway) of food pellets that ducks and their neighbors sit ready to pounce on as they hit the water from a pedestrian bridge or a waterside cutout.

Beyond the bears, opposite a children’s playground, is an exhibit dedicated to nesting pairs of thick-billed parrots where visitors are in an enclosure while the birds are out in the open.

The parrot exhibit, like most of the others, contains interactive displays offering explanations of the hazards facing the animals and lists the efforts the WCS and others are m a k i ng t owa rd resea rch a nd act ive preservation.

Somewhat larger birds occupy the next enclosure — a pair of stately bald eagles busy manicuring their surroundings.

The trail then winds around to the zoo’s eastern side, which is bordered by the Grand Central Parkway. But visitors may not hear or even notice the din when staring transfixed on a swath of New York City that has been transformed into the Great Plains of the Old West, with numerous bison either sunning themselves or roaming around the enclosure with antelope.

The next section of the trail is popular at feeding time.

A small cafeteria area complete with outdoor picnic tables sits to the east.

And to the west is the pool for a small colony of sea lions.

The star attractions can be heard long before they are seen, especially when one is approaching just before the public feeding times of 11:15 a.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.

And if there is a group of school children waiting for the show, they also can be heard cheering as the animals splash about.

Though the males can weigh in excess of 600 pounds, the animals swim gracefully while awaiting zoo workers carrying containers of fresh fish for their mid-morning and afternoon snacks.

Some of the residents hang out on or near the platform awaiting their handlers with the sumptuous seafood. One, however, will swim out near the audience and engage one of his keepers in a long-distance game of catch to the amazement and delight of onlookers of any age.

Next, the coyotes stealthily survey their terrain, studying anything that might look new, or otherwise trigger their acute senses of hearing, sight and smell.

Silver said that a few of the coyotes have been captured from elsewhere in the city.

The northeast corner of the park houses the aviary. The structure was disassembled after the World’s Fair and placed in storage.

It was rebuilt to house a flock of birds from the Western Hemisphere.

The winding single trail inside includes ramps up to and down from elevated catwalks, letting visitors take in views from every height.

Displays show how nature has shaped birds’ bodies and bills to help them adapt to their surroundings and available food supply.

Illustrated signs by the waterfowl marsh detail how those birds’ feathers have evolved into complex str uct ures essential for survival.

Down around the bend a majestic snowy owl has its own enclosure outside the aviary

for an excellent reason — birds are on this hunter’s menu, along with things like small rodents, rabbits and fish.

Moving along the trail one can see a puma sunning itself near the bones of a deer that once had been a meal.

An adjacent display has active lynx, cats the size of a good-sized domestic dog with eyes that fix on visitors without flinching.

Just across from the main entrance is a petting zoo, where children can see domesticated farm animals such as horses, hogs, hares and llamas.

Children also can pet goats that poke their heads through and over fences to greet them.

The zoo also offers year-round programs for the public, such as the sheep-sheering demonstration coming up on April 30 and May 1.

The fun of the animals and the awe of nature also have an interactive educational side.

One section of the zoo greets visitors as a sort of pet cemetery, with headstones representing creatures such as the passenger pigeon that went extinct in 1914; the dodo bird (1681) and the golden toad of South America (1989).

Displays show past effects of pollution and habitat loss, and what various groups are doing to help more than 300 species considered endangered worldwide.

The zoo is located at 53-51 111 St., near the New York Hall of Science and Terrace on the Park and is wheelchair accessible.

Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors 65 and older, $5 for children up to age 12 and free for children younger than 3. Food, snacks and beverages are for sale, but picnic lunches also are welcome.

It is open 365 days a year. Current hours are 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It is accessible by public transportation via the No. 7 train to 111th Street and the Q58 bus to Corona Avenue. Parking is not available on-site but is allowed on the street or at a lot on 111th Q Street between 54th and 55th avenues.

An American bison and his herd are at home on his range.

C M SG page 5 Y K

6 · Ages 7 - 1 ls ir G & s y For Bo ly 11 - July 15 u J 1 # k e e W ly 18 - July 22 u J 2 # k e e W

Ages 7 - 16 · ls ir G & s For Boy 29 1 July 25 - July # k e e W s y Bo ust 5 August 1 - Aug 2 # k e e W s Boy ust 12 August 8 - Aug 3 # k e e W s Boy 19 ust 15 - August g u A k e e W Girls

at Wheel Fun Rentals North Meadow Lake at Flushing Meadows Corona Park

David Dinkins Circle at Flushing Meadows Corona Park

Meadow Lake Rd W Queens NY 11368 (917) 231-5519

Meridian Rd Queens NY 11368 (929) 343-2366

Marine Park

Jacob Riis Park

Ave U & E. 33rd St. Brooklyn NY 11229 (917) 533-6196

157 Rockaway Beach Blvd.

Queens NY 11694 (917) 231-6229 WHEF-069386

MEDITERRANEAN HOME COOKING

AT ITS BEST!

• Gyros • Souvlaki • Falafels • Spinach Pie • Pastichio • Salads • Soups • Moussaka • Burgers and More!

Page 5 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, April 14, 2016

UN F R E M M U S ING K E H T T S I AT CHR

Surreys, Cruisers, Tandems, Kayaks, Pedal Boats & More!

OYAL’S R G N I K E CHRIST TH G CAMP

IN D A E L R E E CH s 7 - 16 Age For Girls · gust 19 August 15 - Au

Fresh & Healthy Food Every Day! NEW! Delicious

GRILLED

FISH!

• Shrimp • Octopus Plus:

FREE

DAILY SPECIALS!

Ask about our CATERING SPECIALS! 63-02 WOODHAVEN BLVD., REGO PARK

718-779-0900 Fax: 718-779-0909 www.gyrogrillny.com

©2016 M1P • GYRG-069385

ace on the CK

All Games

ities Take Pl and Camp Activ

Campus.

at e n li n O r rg e t o is . g y e n R k t c . w ww 66.7454 .3 ny.org · 718

ctk ctkceinfo@

ge, NY 11379

68-02 Metr

, Middle Villa opolitan Avenue

CHSU-069006

SPRING GUIDE e 2016

Delicious Home Cooking Delivery! From Mom’s Fabulous Spinach Pie ($10 Minimum) To Dad’s Super Tasty Gyros!

“Come and Savor Our Mediterranean Flavors!”

“C

Dine In or Take Out

4 · Ages 3 - 1 s y o B & ls For Gir t 12 July 5 - Augus

SPRING GUIDE e 2016

QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, April 14, 2016 Page 6

C M SG page 6 Y K

USTA isn’t just for the pros

CAUSING A RACKET IN QNS.

by Christopher Barca

F

our months from now, throngs of media and thousands of fans will swarm nearly every Billie Jean King National Tennis Center court in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, craning their necks to get a glimpse of pros pushing for US Open glory.

But on this dank April day, there are no television cameras, journalists from far away lands, cheering fans or superstar players volleying back and forth.

Instead, three middle-aged women practice their forehand on one court, while a group of 10 men around the same age share a laugh as they get ready to play on the next surface.

Of the approximately two dozen people smashing serves at the tennis center this morning, none of them were professionals getting some early morning training in.

They’re just members of the public taking advantage of what the United States Tennis Association’s crown jewel has to offer.

“Some people think we’re only open the one month of the US Open,” said Tina Taps, the Manager of Tennis Programs. “It amazes us every time someone says to us ‘Oh, you can actually play here?’ To that we say, ‘Yeah! Come and join us.’

“It’s such an unfortunate secret that people don’t really know.”

When stars Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Serena Williams aren’t bouncing from court to court during the US Open, a dozen National Tennis Center playing surfaces are available for public use at an affordable price.

Available from 6 a.m. to midnight 11 months out of the year, the venue’s 12 indoor courts can be rented hourly during the week for $24 between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m., $42 until 4 p.m., $68 until 10 p.m. and $42 until midnight.

Two middle-aged women work on their forehand PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER BARCA smash.

Everyday citizens spend an early April morning working on their game at the National Tennis PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER BARCA Center in Flushing Meadows Corona Park.

On the weekend, early morning court rentals are $42 per hour until 9 a.m., $68 until 4 p.m. and $42 until midnight.

Normally, 18 outdoor courts are also available for rent at similar prices. However, extensive construction throughout the athletic campus and the relocation of the playing surfaces available to the public have rendered them unavailable this spring.

This just means the indoor courts are even more popular than they already were, especially during the weekends.

“We’ve got people playing pretty much throughout the day, all the time,” Taps, a National Tennis Center employee since 1980, said. “What the USTA also did was build 10 courts off-site, park courts. We’re truly a public community tennis association, so to speak.

“About 100 people a day? We’ve got 12 courts that are going basically all day,” she continued, when asked how many people come through the tennis center’s doors to play on an average day. “It’s probably even more than that, and it could be even more if the facilities weren’t being worked on.”

Saturday and Sunday are the two most popular days of the week when it comes to court usage, so players are urged to book their surface in advance by logging onto usta.tennissource.net/registration.lasso.

“Sometimes we get to a point where we’re completely sold out and there’s not much available,” the USTA official added.

“But those who really want to play find a way. We’re open from 6 a.m. to midnight, you have a lot of choices.”

When it comes to who in the community can access the tennis center, Taps said there’s something for anyone old enough to walk, as affordable learners programs are available for kids 2 and older.

One of the more popular weekly lessons is Mommy and Me, where both parent and

“Two years ago, we ran a boys 12-andunder national tournament,” she said, “and the quality of play from previous years was just unbelievable.”

The National Tennis Center is all about equal opportunity when it comes to adults looking to spend an hour before or after work relaxing with the racket, as well.

One of the more popular programs on campus is the 65-and-older doubles league, which begins today, April 14, and runs through the end of June.

There are two sessions, one on Wednesdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. that costs $160 and one on Thursdays — with the exception of the last two weeks of May and the first week of June — at the same time of the day that costs $112.

“There’s something for everyone,” Kraft said. “Private lessons and contracts are not our mission, it doesn’t grow our sport.”

Such private tutoring is available at the National Tennis Center, however, as a oneon-one lesson can be purchased for as little as $90, while group classes of up to four players costs between $150 and $180, depending on the time of day.

Two-person classes are also available for as little as $120.

According to Taps, she’s seen numerous amateur Queens players over the course of her nearily four decades at the National Center become extremely close once they shared a court with each other, either during private lessons or public programs.

“People have become lifelong friends from meeting someone in a class or playing on a league team,” she said. “Even your adversaries are your friends here.”

And unlike other sports that require high levels of athleticism and stamina, tennis is truly a sport all Queens residents, no matter their age, can enjoy at anytime at the National Tennis Center.

“I played basketball, I played volleyball,” Taps said. “But tennis is something you really can play through all the stages of your Q life, and that’s what so great about it.”

child explore the fundamentals of tennis through exercise, fun activities and games.

“One big thing is that we’ve sized tennis to kids and that’s really exciting,” the program manager said. “They’re so cute, they have the greatest time. It’s part of that progression, learning to love something and then getting better at it.”

“It brings tears to our eyes when we come in on the weekends and we see the courts set up, where there’s 15 different pairs of a guardian and a youngster,” added Whitney Kraft, the Director of Tennis Programs at the facility and a former collegiate tennis star himself. “Then they can take that home and play in the driveway.”

The program, which takes place on Saturdays at 9 a.m., sells out quick, so parents are urged to register their child either online at usta.tennissource.net/registration.lasso or in person at the National Tennis Center.

The “extremely popular” Mommy and Me series — which costs $198 — starts next weekend and runs through the end of June.

A myriad of different programs — which also begin this month and run through the f inal weekend in June — are available for kids of all ages and abilit y levels, with prices ranging from $252 to $462.

Ever since the Nat ion al Ten n is Center significantly expanded its early child hood programming six years ago, Taps said the USTA has noticed a significant uptick in ability amongst pre- There’s something for everyone, no matter your age, at the National teen players.

PHOTO COURTESY USTA Tennis Center.

C M SG page 7 Y K

QUEENS FARM MUSEUM

by Matthew Bultman

N

ew York is a city of both low- and high-rise buildings, but you don’t have to look farther than Queens to get a glimpse of farmland.

Sitting on 47 acres in Floral Park, the Queens County Farm Museum is the oldest continually operated farm in the state. And now that spring has arrived, there is perhaps no better way to shake off the winter blues than to pay a visit.

The farm was established in the late 1690s and today occupies the largest tract of undisturbed farmland in the city. The centerpiece of the complex is a red-shingled colonial farmhouse, which offers a glimpse at rural life from another era.

There are a variety of livestock that call the farm home, from steer to alpacas to piglets. Inside the welcome center, visitors will find alfalfa they can feed to the sheep and goats and can buy eggs that were laid by the hens.

The grounds, which are open year-round, also include a greenhouse complex, planting fields and an orchard. Admission is free, except during special events.

This spring, the farm will also host a number of programs and events for both children and adults.

For example, visitors can get a peek inside the historic farmhouse, which was built in 1772, during free tours every Saturday and Sunday. Families can also explore the grounds with weekend hayrides.

For adults looking for a hands-on farming experience, a

Hayrides are one popular attraction at the Queens County Farm COURTESY PHOTO museum in Floral Park. volunteer program will kick off this month. On Tuesdays and Sundays, those over the age of 18 can help farmers in the growing fields and get a taste of what it’s like to farm in New York City.

Depending on where the farm is in its growing season, volunteers might be helping weed the fields, turn compost or transplant seedlings.

The Original Since 1981

SAME NAME SAME OWNER

SPECIALIZING IN:

FULLY , SED LICEN ED & R INSU D GUAR A

“It’s a great way to experience this place,” said Sarah Meyer, the farm’s director of sales and marketing. “Being outdoors with a community of people is such a special part of this.”

Another popular draw is the seasonal farmstand, which opens in mid-May and features more than 75 kinds of vegetables grown on-site using organic methods. Meyer said the farm has increased production in recent years as the produce continues to gain popularity.

Members get 10 percent off at the farmstand, and EBT and SNAP benefits are accepted.

“As the interest for locally grown and organic foods gains momentum, for people to have that right in their backyard is pretty amazing,” Meyer said.

On May 22, the farm will host its annual spring sheep shearing, when the animals get their first haircut of the year.

Farmers will also lead tours of the grounds, while visitors take in wool-spinning demonstrations and relax on a hayride. There will also be food trucks and live music.

Schoolchildren for years have been coming to the farm to get a glimpse of agriculture. But in addition to its activities for children and families, Meyer said the farm has also been broadening its scope of programs for adults.

Throughout the year it is hosting a range of classes, from photography to 18th-century cooking. The next class, a twohour course on weaving spring wreaths, will be the afternoon of May 7. The event is $40 for members and $45 for Q nonmembers.

VINYL SIDING CUSTOM WINDOWS AWNINGS

NTE E

SENIOR DISCOUNTS!

GARAGE DOORS GUTTERS ROOFING

KITCHENS BATHROOMS DOORS FINISHED BASEMENTS

Spring Sale 10% OFF

Authorized GAF Roofer Installer

1-800-599-1150

NYC LIC. #2011058 L.I. LIC. #H18D2240000

87-10 101ST AVE., OZONE PARK, NY 11416

©2016 M1P • JBHI-069355

W W W.JBHOM EIM PROV EM ENTSINC.COM

Expires May 12, 2016

Satisfying Customers for Over 35 Years!

SPRING GUIDE e 2016

Visit Ourat: Sh ow room

Page 7 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, April 14, 2016

47 acres of living history to visit

SPRING GUIDE e 2016

QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, April 14, 2016 Page 8

C M SG page 8 Y K

Crabs, birds, plants and more

ALL AT JAMAICA BAY

by Anthony O’Reilly

I

f it’s been said once, it’s been said a million times: Jamaica Bay is an escape from the concrete jungle of the five boroughs still located within the city limits.

Looking out over the estuary, people can forget that they’re in New York City.

Home to hundreds of species of plants and wildlife and a neighbor of John F. Kennedy International Airport, the bay is a tourist site in and of itself. It’s surrounded by Canarsie and Bergen beaches and Spring Creek Park, just to name a few locations.

So how does one take full advantage of this natural gem?

One could take a boat out into the bay and travel around the 36-square-mile body of water.

Or, you could visit the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Center, where the National Parks Service, the federal agency that oversees the water, island and marshes has prepared a vast array of activities for people of all ages.

Located at 175-10 Cross Bay Blvd. in Broad Channel, the refuge center is a facility of Gateway National Recreation Area, open water and intertidal salt marshes of not just Jamaica Bay but other areas in New York and New Jersey.

And although any year is a great time to visit the center to see all that the bay has to offer, 2016 is better than ever.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the NPS, and the park rangers in Queens are gearing up to celebrate in style.

“We’ve put together a really busy schedule,” Richard Jenkins, supervisory ranger at the refuge center, said. “It is an absolutely good time to get involved if people have been meaning to get out here.”

All events are free to the public.

To start off, the center is offering guided ranger walks of the 14-square-mile visitors center grounds every weekend starting this month all the way until Labor Day. The walks are offered from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and provide visitors the chance to learn about the wildlife at the center.

Paul Melhado’s photos will be on display at PHOTO COURTESY NPS the center until May 12.

This Saturday, April 16, the walks will be specially geared toward children as the center presents “Junior Ranger for a Day.” Children can learn about the ecosystem and will receive a Junior Ranger badge at the end of the tour.

Other walks at and near the center will hone in on species of animals that call the bay home.

For example, there will be an International Migratory Bird Day tour on May 14 led by Don Riepe, northeast chapter president of the American Littoral Society, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The day marks the passing of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which made it illegal for anyone to “possess, import, export, transport, sell, purchase, barter, or offer for sale, purchase, or barter, any migratory bird, or the parts, nests or eggs of such a bird.”

Riepe said mid-May is “peak time for bird migration,” offering avid watchers and tourists a chance to see many species.

“You have your waddlers come in and pass through the city at that time,” he said. “Everyone’s out looking for the birds.”

The May 14 activity will also offer participants the chance to build birdhouses and see professionals such as Riepe interact with the birds.

There will also be a chance for visitors to plant native plant species at one of the center’s bird blinds, replacing invasive vegetation that is not native to the area.

The week after that, Riepe will lead another walk that will educate visitors on a “living dinosaur.”

On May 22, the environmental activist will lead the “Horseshoe Crab Walk” from 9 a.m. to noon.

“They’re this really strange-looking animal that we get at this time of the year,” Jenkins said of the crabs, which have walked the Earth for more than 300 million years. “They come to the beaches to breed and a lot of the birds feed on their eggs.”

For Riepe, it’s vital to make people aware of the importance of the horseshoe crabs because of their ecological and medical benefits.

“They have a copper-based blood that is used to test the purity of human blood,” Riepe said.

“A lot of labs get permits to take the crabs and bleed them, which isn’t harmful to the animal.

They have great medical value.”

The crab’s blood is specifically used to test for the presence of bacterial endotoxin, which is harmful to humans.

If a horseshoe crab’s blood comes into contact with the toxin, it begins to congeal around it and stops it from spreading. Published reports claim the horseshoe crab blood industry is worth $50 million per year and a gallon of it can cost up to $60,000.

The ecological benefits are, as previously mentioned, that the crab’s eggs provide food to many of the birds that come to the bay around the springtime.

So why is it important to make people aware of the crab’s value to birds and humans?

“A lot of people see the horseshoe crab and

You can walk the miles of nature trails around the bay’s visitors center. get scared,” Jenkins said. “When really, it’s quite harmless and really interesting.”

Riepe said he’s seen people try to harm the crab.

To show how nonthreatening they can be, he will often pick one up and put his bare hands over the bottom of it.

“That’s part of my routine,” he said. “It’s nice to give it some good press.”

For those with more of a green thumb, the weekend of May 13 may be a better time to head down to the center.

From Friday to Sunday starting at 9 a.m. and ending at 5 p.m., rangers and volunteers will be doing another replanting but in the North and South gardens of the center.

Those locations underwent a three-year venture starting in 2015 to remove plants that are not native to the Jamaica Bay area and replace them with native vegetation to restore biodiversity and habitat functions.

It is a joint effort between the NPS, the Nature Conservancy and the Jamaica BayRockaway Parks Conservancy.

The invasive plants have already been removed and now the center is looking to have native vegetation placed there.

“We’ll be getting the first native plants in the ground to try to reclaim the area,” Jenkins said.

Tired of all that walking and need a break from the sun? Then head inside the visitors center to enjoy the “Queens County Parks: Urban Landscapes” photo exhibit on display until May 12. Photographer Paul Melhado’s shots offer a scenic, black-and-white view of Queens parks.

“It shows the beauty of nature within the confines of the city,” Charles Markis, who curated the exhibit, said. “You would not know that they were taken in New York City.”

While one marvels at the beauty of the bay, one should keep in mind that it takes a dedicated staff to keep it clear of debris and litter so

PHOTO BY ANTHONY O’REILLY

that it stays that way. After all, Jamaica Bay was a city dumping ground for years, as well as a favorite disposal site for the Mafia.

Another group that has seen its people contribute to the waste flowing into the bay is now trying to step up and make sure it’s clean for all to enjoy.

Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus is partnering with the center to host cleanup events on the first Saturday of every month at both parking lots on the Broad Channel side of the Joseph P. Addabbo Memorial Bridge. The events start at 10 a.m. on those days.

Aminta Kilawan, co-founder of Sadhana, started the events after she saw Hindus perform rituals — involving offerings of fruit and sometimes fish — near the bay and leaving the remnants of the acts, including plates and the like, behind to go into the water or lie on the beach.

“We believe it’s important as Hindus who have a stake in the community to make sure this site is taken care of,” Kilawan said.

After noticing the buildup of offerings on the beach, Kilawan reached out to area Mandirs and temples to begin the cleanup events and raise awareness of the litter’s impact on the ecosystem.

“We try to make people aware of how this is truly a sanctuary for so many living beings,” she said.

The cleanup events are not limited to people of the Hindu faith. Everyone can, and is encouraged, to attend.

Kilawan can be reached at (718) 300-4888 or by email at ackilawan@gmail.com.

Jenkins also previewed some events planned for the summer months, including a July 10 2 p.m. screening of “Saving Jamaica Bay,” the documentary about the fight to save the estuary created and produced by Queens Chronicle alumnus Dan Hendrick. For more information on the center, visit nps.gov/gate or Q call (718) 318-4340.

C M SG page 9 Y K

QUEENS BOTANICAL GARDEN

by Liz Rhoades

W

ith bulbs bursting and fruit trees blossoming in pastel shades, what better way to welcome spring and soak in the season than a visit to the Queens Botanical Garden in Flushing?

But the 39-acre site located at 43-50 Main St. offers more than just a walk through the garden. During the next couple of months visitors can take advantage of poetry workshops, a photo and sculpture exhibit of trees and an outdoor concert to please all tastes.

There are also programs for youngsters and budding farmers and volunteer opportunities for all.

For the younger set there are storytime and crafts, free with admission, on April 24, May 14 and May 29 at 2 p.m. The 10-week children’s spring garden program has already begun and a program for toddlers called Garden Buds is all filled up.

Two free poetry sessions are scheduled for April 17 with separate registration. The haiku workshop at 1 p.m. will teach the art of writing Japanese poems. To register, go to qbghaiku. eventbrite.com. Queens Poet Laureate Maria Lisella with other area poets will lead a nature poetry workshop at 2 p.m. To register go to qbgpoetry.eventbrite.com.

If birds are more your thing, take a walk with the New York City Aububon Society on April 24, May 7, May 22 or June 4 at 9 a.m. It’s free with admission. Advanced registration is preferred. Go to qbgbirdwalks.eventbrite.com.

The Oak Allee is just one beautiful spot in the Queens Botanical PHOTO BY ANNE TAN-DETCHKOV Garden.

The garden’s annual Arbor Fest will be held on April 24 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. There’s something for all ages including a petting zoo, crafts, live music and garden tours. The cost is $10 for adults and $8 for children. Parking is $10.

To learn gardening tips, there are lectures on spring soil health on April 30 at 10 a.m. for $5 and a compost tea session on May 14, also at 10 a.m. for $5. The April program will focus on soil testing and compost application. To register go to

Offering the widest selection of today’s contemporary trends.

springsoilhealth.eventbrite.com. The May program will discuss diluting compost and how to apply it to plants. To register go to composttea.eventbrite.com.

Quintet of the Americas will perform a musical program ranging from George Gershwin to Samuel Barber on May 15 at 2 p.m. It’s free with admission.

Through April, visitors can see the exhibit “Portraits of Tall Friends” in the administration building. The photos and sculptures are by Carol Reid and Frank Buddingh, respectively.

A Mother’s Day brunch will be held on May 8 at 10 a.m. The cost is $25 for adults and $20 for children. It will feature a catered meal and a garden walk. Register at qbgmothersday. eventbrite.com.

To become a horticulture volunteer, attend a session on May 5 at 1 p.m. or June 2 at 9 a.m. Register at hortvolunteerdays. eventbrite.com. There is also a farm program wherein volunteers can plant vegetables and flowers, weed and water during the growing season. To sign up, go to queenbotanical.org.

Susan Lacerte, executive director of the QBG, thinks spring is a particularly lovely season to visit. “It’s a magical time,” Lacerte said. “Every day is different. It makes me smile.”

The botanical garden is open Tuesday through Sunday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is $4 for adults, $3 for seniors and $2 for students. It is free on Wednesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. and Sundays from 9 to 11 a.m. For additional information, call (718) 886-3800.

Q “Come visit and see the beauty of nature,” Lacerte said.

Page 9 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, April 14, 2016

Poetry, music and more in spring

Established In 1973

UNLIMITED TUTORING INC. PRIVATE TUTORING AT OUR CENTER OR YOUR HOME Weekdays or Saturday Reasonable Rates - NYC Licensed Teachers ADULTS - CHILDREN Computer Instruction

AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM 3:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Mon. - Fri. SUBJECTS OFFERED - ELEMENTARY THRU COLLEGE

See us before starting your kitchen or bath renovation.

Reading, Mathematics, English, Spanish, French, Chinese, Accounting, Business, Calculus, Physics, Writing, Trigonometry, Chemistry, US History, Biology, Global History, Earth Science, Algebra, Geometry, Living Environment, Cursive Writing

PREPARATION FOR :

SINS-069387

46-01 Vernon Blvd., Long Island City

718-729-5535

Fax: 718- 606 -8943

www.sinksandstonesnyc.com B AT H • T IL E • S TONE

Email: mail@sinksandstonesnyc.com

114-64 MERRICK BLVD., JAMAICA

718-291-0922

SPRING GUIDE e 2016

A.C.D.

©2014 M1P •UNLT-064848

• Regents Examinations • PSAT, SAT, ACT, and SSAT • Catholic High School Entrance Exam • N.Y.C. Specialized High School Exam • N.Y. State Math Test and ELA Exams • Common Core • GRE • USMLE • TOEFL Vouchers • ASVAB Accepted • GED • CUNY

SPRING GUIDE e 2016

QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, April 14, 2016 Page 10

C M SG page 10 Y K

Voelker Orth Museum of Flushing

VICTORIAN VENUE VISIT

by Neil Chiragdin

V

enture past Flushing’s many Mongolian hot pots, its Korean barbecues, its dozens of dumpling houses, and you may be surprised to find one of its oldest treasures — the Voelker Orth House.

Undeveloped until the 1870s, the tract of land on which the Voelker Orth House sits originally belonged to the tree-farming Parsons family (think Parsons Boulevard), who began selling parcels of the land when the Long Island Rail Road was constructed.

One of these was purchased by German immigrant Conrad Voelker, a printer, at a time when the neighborhood was called Murray Hill. The house, at 149-19 38 Ave., later passed to Voelker’s daughter, Theresa, who would take the last name Orth, and then his granddaughter Elisabetha.

Museum Director Debby Silverfine has kept the spirit of the Voelker/Orth family alive at the museum by building a benchmark of a community cultural space. Not content to remain a singular entity, the house hosts a number of events throughout the year that run the gamut from classical concerts to screenings of cartoons from the early days of animation.

The museum maintains a garden large enough to host up to 150 people, and it does occasionally reach capacity during its most popular events.

One of these is its string of plays by Hip to Hip Theater. The company is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, and will be putting on productions of Shakespeare’s “As You Like

Tour guide Phyllis Ger, left, and Voelker Orth Museum Director Debby Silverfine take a coffee break in the museum’s sun porch. The former Flushing homestead and tree farm has a history that goes back to the days of early Queens, but in modern times has added music and the arts PHOTOS BY NEIL CHIRAGDIN to flora and fauna.

It” and “Julius Caesar” at to-be-determined dates at Voelker Orth and other locations throughout the end of summer.

The garden is also a popular haunt to blue jays, robins, mockingbirds and hum-

Daffodils, grape hyacinths and other flowers attract numerous species of birds and support the Voelker Orth Museum’s very own bee hive.

Following Earth Day, the museum is throwing a special event on Tuesday, April 26, that will feature composting, recycling and green-gardening tips — including how to maintain some green space within the generally small confines of New York apartments.

There will be animals from Alley Pond Environmental Center and a talk from the Audubon Society for lovers of wildlife and a walkthrough on windsock construction for the more craft-oriented.

On Sunday, May 22, the Voelker Orth will host a garden tea concert featuring Christine Smith and James Acampora performing on piano and cello, respectively.

Their show promises to include takes on pop, classical, Latin and jazz music, alongside “Victorian-inspired savory and sweet treats.”

For Father’s Day, on Sunday, June 19, the museum will have a talk by Laura Silver, who has written a book about the history of the knish, and samples of the potato-based food will be provided along with egg creams and Betty’s Zip — a lip-smacking punch made from Catawba grapes and lemons grown in the house’s garden.

In mid-summer, a summer arts and crafts series will take place on Tuesdays.

Later in the year, the museum will hold a honey harvest festival and a grape-picking event. The garden even houses its own beehive, to which they will soon be adding a new queen — hopefully the new bees will be able to keep up with an institution that prides Q itself on staying so busy.

mingbirds during the warmer months, due to special types of feed being left for them.

The feathered flocks are transient, and one can never be sure how many, if any, are on the grounds at any given time.

“I want to make the distinction between a sanctuary and an aviary,” Silverfine said. “These aren’t caged birds; think of us more as a bird café.”

An avid birder, Elisabetha Orth ensured the involvement of the local chapter of the Audubon Society when she left the house to be turned into a museum.

The museum’s walls display work from local artists — currently, a gallery of photographs by award-winning Queens resident Carlos Esguerra is up — and the organization tends to attract interns and volunteers with an artistic bent.

The museum offers an oddly charming booklet of watercolor illustrations and facts about weeds painted by Cindy de la Cruz. Julia Skyba, who has taken photographs of events at Voelker Orth, will have her artwork featured along de la Cruz’s after Esguerra’s exhibit ends.

Later this year, the house exhibit will display photographs of flowers The gardens at the Voelker Orth Museum in Flushing offer taken by Little Neck-based Dora visitors a relaxed visit with nature and the arts, as well as Sofia Caputo. a portal back to simpler times in the borough of Queens.

C M SG page 11 Y K

WHEELY, WHEELY FUN!

by Mark Lord

L

ooking for some healthy outdoor family entertainment? Then Wheel Fun Rentals might be just the thing.

From cruiser bikes and surreys to pedal boats and kayaks, the company offers something for everyone in search of adventure — right in your own backyard.

The rental kiosk first appeared in Flushing Meadows Corona Park two years ago and quickly became a popular attraction. It reopened at North Meadow Lake on March 26, with a second site scheduled to open on April 30 in David Dinkins Circle.

“We do family recreation for locals and tourists,” marketing director Sheena Walenta said. “We have something for every age.”

She said an estimated 40,000 guests have already been served in Flushing, including wounded veterans and even the blind, who can enjoy many of the available rides.

The most popular rental has been the surrey bike which “allows the entire family or a group of people to ride together,” Walenta said.

All vehicles are rented at hourly rates. Classic cruiser bikes offer cushy balloon tires,

spring saddles and wide handlebars, and rent for $10. Tandem bikes go for $18. Kids’ bikes are $8. Specialty bikes include choppers ($12), single ($25) and double ($35) surreys and deuce coupes ($25). Once the water ride season begins on May 1, there are pedal boats ($20) and kayaks ($15).

Wheel Fun offers half-, full- and multi-day rates and annual passes for some items, along with self-guided bike tours with detailed route maps.

Joe Genovese, who became a local hero last September when he captured an alligator that had been roaming around the park, works at the Meadow Lake location as a mechanic and jack-of-all-trades, keeping the equipment in tiptop shape. He said that on a good day it’s difficult to keep up with rental demands. The crowds become even more impressive on special events days in the park such as Mets games at nearby Citi Field.

Rentals are made weather permitting — dry and at least 50 degrees — on a first-come, first served-basis. Groups of 15 or more must make advance reservations. Through April 30, only bicycles are available Monday through Friday from noon to sunset. Holiday hours are from 9

Lateshia Edwards of Wheel Fun Rentals in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. a.m. to sunset.

From May 1 to June 10, bikes and boats are available Monday through Friday from noon to sunset. From June 11 through Labor Day, they are rented seven days a week, 9 a.m. to sunset.

Government-issued photo IDs are required.

Page 11 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, April 14, 2016

Boating and biking in the park

PHOTO BY MARK LORD

Wheel Fun Rentals was founded by Brian McInerney, who got the idea upon seeing a multi-passenger surrey cycle while on vacation in Italy in 1987. He opened his first rental location in California shortly thereafter.

For more information call (917) 231-5519. Q

©2016 M1P • MYRA-069352

Ridgewood Local Development p Corporation p

!

L A V I T S E F T E E R T S E U N MYRTLE AVE Sunday, April 17th, 12-6 pm JOE FUOCO’S MUSIC CENTER 12-5 pm at 71st Ave. Plaza (Just off Forest & Myrtle Avenues)

Over

200

On Myrtle Avenue Forest Avenue to Wyckoff Avenue Shop Myrtle Avenue !

VINTAGE BUSES

MERCHANTS & VENDORS

TRANSIT MUSEUM In Cooperation with

Plus: Children’s Rides

MTA/NYTC

• Live Music, International Foods & Entertainment!

• Rides! Vendors! Attractions! • Lots of Family Fun!

AD

Website: www.ridgewood-ny.com

SPRING GUIDE e 2016

Entertainment Sponsors: Pants Pantry, Ridgewood Eats, Capital One Bank

EE FR IO N MISS

SPRING GUIDE e 2016

QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, April 14, 2016 Page 12

C M SG page 12 Y K

Studying and protecting nature

ALLEY POND ENVIRO CTR.

by Victoria Zunitch

I

f you’re pounding the pavement one spring morning and just aren’t feeling it, hop over to the Alley Pond Environmental Center at 228-06 Northern Blvd. in Douglaston and you’ll soon be communing with wild cottontail rabbits hiding in the tall grass. Like all city residents, the rabbits are used to crowds and allow visitors to get fairly close before they flee.

You might rest on a log bench next to a pond, or stroll past APEC’s working, waterpumping windmill and try to spot migrating birds flying in overhead. No appointments or tickets are necessary, though there is a suggested donation of $5 per person.

“People can visit any time and take a walk and visit our animals,” said Irene Scheid, the center’s executive director.

It wasn’t always so. APEC had become a dumping ground, back in the days when humans thought wetlands were useless. It got filled with construction debris from the Cross Island Parkway in the 1930s and the Long Island Expressway in the 1950s. It was reclaimed as an environmental center amid the burgeoning environmental movement of the 1970s. Now, it covers more than 635 acres of meadows, ponds, fresh and salt water marshes, and forests. It provides a stopover for migrating birds and an environmental education for adults and children.

Visitors who want to simply walk, hike or eat al fresco can drop by any time the center is open, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays (call ahead for weekend hours).

Picnics are allowed and even encouraged.

Plenty of picnic tables are located near the main house, just next to APEC’s very own log cabin-style activity hut. The picnic area also has a surprisingly large supply of play equipment for the little ones. APEC doesn’t sell or serve food, but it does have a soda machine on the premises.

The ultimate in naturally made benches await you at the Alley Pond Environmental Center grounds. At right, a rabbit blends into its surroundings on one of the center’s trails, which wend PHOTOS BY VICTORIA ZUNITCH through marshlands and woodlands.

“We have a number of local trails here at the Center. One of the trails is totally boardwalked,” Scheid said. That walkway stretches to the center’s creek and protects hikers from any springtime mud, Scheid said. The other trails are wood-chipped and remain open despite muddy conditions, so good boots might be in order.

Drop-in visitors can step inside the center’s main building for a trail map, to ask questions or to visit the indoor animals, including birds, bunnies, reptiles, fish and turtles.

Scheid said red-winged blackbirds are a spring fixture in the salt marsh.

“They’re the first group of summer settlers to arrive each spring, and they stay until fall,” she said. Red-winged blackbirds are a deep black color except for the wings that earn them their name, which are hued in a sharp red that fades to an orangey-yellow at the tip.

Amateur botanists will want to look for the pussy willow, a species native to the area that started to bloom in late March. It’s an important feature of the salt marsh, Scheid said.

Looking ahead to next year, try to visit early to see the migrating bald eagle that visits Alley Pond each year.

Eagles have been spotted frequent i ng Q ueens i n the neighborhood of the New York State Courthouse in Kew Gardens and, more recently, near the Willow

Lake Preserve in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. But the Alley Pond eagle is believed to be a different individual, one of many that migrate each year between Narrowsburg, NY and the Delmarva Peninsula.

“The one here we’re pretty sure is migrating because we don’t see it again” after a brief spring visit each year, Scheid said.

A huge variety of birds can be spotted at Alley Pond, according to the New York State Department of Conservation. Mallards and wood ducks, ospreys and hawks are among them. The waters are home to bass, bluegill, perch and more, while snapping turtles, salamanders and bullfrogs roam the grounds.

More structured types will want to check APEC’s schedule of organized activities, as preregistration and fees are required for certain programs.

During the public school spring break, APEC has scheduled an educational “Spring Fling” for Wednesday, April 27, from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Parents can register their children on APEC’s website. Kids will be grouped according to age.

“It is learning about the life cycles of frogs, the migrating birds and other things that happen in the spring here,” Scheid said.

Children will also pot a plant to take home.

Parents and nannies might also want to check into summer sessions of the center’s weekly classes for every age from very young children through grade seven. The tiniest tots’ programs are like a natureheavy “Mommy and Me” program and also run in the spring and fall. Wee Sprouts is for ages 18 to 21 months and Toddler Time for those from 24 months to 35 months,

both requiring adult participation. And the Toddler Time group still has space for the spring program.

Drop-off programs are available for ages 3 and up, and in summer, weekly camp-like classes run for children in kindergarten through grade seven.

Adult and family programs are also available.

Family Movie Night on April 22 will screen Dr. Seuss’ “The Lorax,” a classic environmental tale. The program is free and includes tasty snacks, but registration is required and adults must accompany children.

One popular recur ring event is the monthly astronomy program for adult and children ages 9 and up, “Star Searchers: Exploring the Night Sky.” Astronomer and professor Mark Freilich holds an indoor question-and-answer session about basic astronomy, leads some fun activities, and then takes the group outside for sky viewing with a professional telescope. The cost is $9 for members and $15 for nonmembers. The next several sessions are scheduled for April 16, May 21 and June 18.

A “Spring Bird Walk for Beginners” is scheduled for Saturday, May 7. For just $5 per person, participants will be led by a member of the Queens County Bird Club to look for year-round avian residents as well as migratory friends. Instruction will be given on how to use a field guide and binoculars.

If your house just doesn’t feel like a home without some garbage-eating worms, it’s time to learn how to compost at Alley Pond’s “Composting 101” class on Saturday, April 16. For $5, adults and children age 10 and up will see some worms, learn what is compostable, and find out about composting opportunities in Queens.

Sustainability is a big part of what APEC is all about, as without it there would be no Q nature hikes or bird walks to take.

C M SG page 13 Y K

347-813-4810 www.tntliquidators.com

Wholesalers Welcome!

Wholesa

CASCADE COMPLETE Action Pacs

FINISH POWERBALL Dishwasher Tabs

90 Fresh Scent Pacs

Only

$

8

00

Expires 04/30/16. Cannot be combined with any other offer or coupon.

✁

GLAD FORCEFLEX Tall Kitchen Bags 13 Gallon 140 Value Pack

Only

✁

$

9

00

Expires 04/30/16. Cannot be combined with any other offer or coupon.

HOURS: Mon. thru Sat. 8 am - 8 pm • Sun. 10 am - 7 pm p

KEURIG K-Cup Single Serve Coffee Maker with Water Filter

110 Tabs

Only

$

00

7

Only

Expires 04/30/16. Cannot be combined with any other offer or coupon.

✁

$

50

00

Expires 04/30/16. Cannot be combined with any other offer or coupon.

✁

1,000 Sheet Roll

BARILLA Pasta

60¢ Each

LIMIT 6 PER FAMILY

Expires 04/30/16. Cannot be combined with any other offer or coupon.

✁

50% OFF

• 16 Mega Pixels • Camera Bundle Includes SD Card & Camera Bag Hurry! While Supply Lasts!

Only

14998

$

With this coupon only Expires 04/30/16. Cannot be combined with any other offer or coupon.

✁

50%ALLOFF

SCOTT Toilet Tissue

Only

FUJIFILM S-6800 Digital Camera

Page 13 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, April 14, 2016

73-60 Grand Avenue Maspeth, NY 11378

FERTILIZERS!

1 lb. Box (Regular Only)

Only

✁

$ 00

1

Each

Expires 04/30/16. Cannot be combined with any other offer or coupon.

✁

Expires 04/30/16. Cannot be combined with any other offer or coupon.

* Men’s, Women’s and Children’s Clothing ✁ ✔ Case Lots ✔ Gifts ✔ Watches ✔ Cleaning Supplies ✔ Party Supplies ✔ Home Decor ✔ Office & School Supplies ✔ Housewares ✔ Linens

15% OFF ✁

✔ Luggage ✔ Pet Supplies ✔ Automotive ✔ Cookware ✔ Pool Supplies ✔ Baby Supplies ✔ Men’s, Women’s and Children’s Clothing and Shoes ✔ And So Much More!

Your Entire Purchase!

Expires April 30, 2016. With this coupon only.

Cannot be combined with any other offer or coupon.

All coupons are good only while supplies last.

©2016 M1P • TLIQ-069388

SPRING GUIDE e 2016

✔ Gardening Supplies ✔ Utensils & Cutlery ✔ Paper Goods ✔ Tools ✔ Laundry Supplies ✔ Health & Beauty Products ✔ Small Appliances ✔ Candy & Snacks ✔ Groceries

*Some exclusions apply. Expires April 30, 2016. With this coupon only.

Cannot be combined with any other offer or coupon.

SPRING GUIDE e 2016

QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, April 14, 2016 Page 14

C M SG page 14 Y K

Learning while having a ball

NY HALL OF SCIENCE

by Laura A. Shepard

I

t’s impossible not to feel a sense of wonder at the New York Hall of Science.

Whether you’re a small child going down a slide or an adult revisiting the giant bubble, the museum is fun for all because almost ever y exhibit involves playing!

Located in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, the main buildings house a mix of new and old favorites, but many concepts really come to life while playing outside in the science playground and through mini golf in Rocket Park.

The playground teaches children about physics as they play, Museum Explainer Iboun Morrison said.

“Physics is a great area to begin with because it really does apply to everything,” Morrison noted.

The joy of going down a slide is all thanks to gravity. Climbing a rope spiderweb creates tension and compression so that children on the other side feel vibrations. A Rube-Goldberg ball run shows energy transforming from mechanical to potential to kinetic.

“This playground is our favorite, it’s just fun!” Niamh, 5, said as she climbed to the top of the spiderweb.

Her mother, Cliona Duffy, said Niamh had clamored to come to the Hall of Science because she loves the playground.

Two Astoria moms were glad to enjoy the nice weather while their children played in the preschool area, which includes a sandbox and some mechanical ducks.

“The kids learn a lot and the staff help,” they said. “It’s a wonderful place.”

Swinging a mini golf club in the aptly named Rocket Park also requires some understanding of physics: gravity, force and speed all come into play here. The holes are set against the shells of the Mercury Atlas and Gemini Titan rockets, which were initially

Ella Wong, 11, channels her inner MacGyver, crafting a miniature jet ski plane, designed for PHOTOS BY LAURA A. SHEPARD rescue, out of simple materials. placed there for the 1964-65 World’s Fair.

Each hole demonstrates different concepts, from centripetal force to timing. One hole requires hitting the ball onto a target which makes a rocket launch, as it takes a certain amount of speed and force for an object to leave Earth’s gravitational pull.

“It’s a nice local place to go,” Lisa Moreno said. She brought her son Michael, who was off from school, to enjoy the activities and nice weather.

“I love learning about space,” Michael, 5, said. “I’ve learned that rockets launch to space and I learned about the Milky Way.” He pointed out that hole number four spirals like the galaxy.

Sports fans can also take advantage of the indoor exhibit to learn more about the games they love.

Baseball and basketball fan Nicholas

Burns, 8, experimented with bouncing a basketball on a variety of ground surfaces. He said he found the wood was best, while foam and sand were the worst.

Another great place for families is the Design Lab, where children are prompted to use their creativity and the materials at hand to solve design challenges. Each pod has its own premise, such as circuitry, lighting or building.

Ella Wong, 11, used cardboard, paper, aluminum foil, tape and popsicle sticks to construct a jet ski plane to help someone who is st r a nded i n a ju ngle escape w it hout exploding.

“It’s like a tent and you can steer it like a plane or a boat,” she explained.

Her father, Howard Wong, appreciated the way the challenge piqued her curiosity.

“It exposes them to the world we live in, so

they can learn from what’s already been discovered,” he said.

Roy Lambert wanted to expose his granddaughter Carolann to the world of technology.

“She knows more about it than I do, but hey, it’s worthwhile to expose her at this young age,” he said. “She doesn’t know what she wants to be, so the idea is just to expose her to lots of different things.”

Carolann, 8, said that she does her own her experiments — mixing food or beverages and other materials — at home. At the Hall of Science she learned that people eat insects in some states and countries.

The Hall of Science is also the place to catch a film, like “Living in the Age of Airplanes,” narrated by Harrison Ford, which explains how faster transportation impacts daily life. For example, the video illustrates that one room may contain 80 different things from 80 different places, according to Danny Rivera from the Visitor Experience Team.

The iconic “wavy” building with blue glass windows houses “Connected Worlds,” an interactive exhibit at which children can inf luence several projected ecosystems by adjusting the water, planting virtual seeds and cutting down trees.

Communications Director Mary Record said she once saw some children pretending to shower in the virtual waterfall, while many more love moving the logs around.

The Hall of Science’s original exhibits on seeing light and understanding shadows, colors, illusions and mirrors remain intact, while some new displays, which explain mathematical concepts, like probability by randomly shooting balls down a contraption that distributes them along a bell curve, are just as mesmerizing.

As for those old favorites, Valerie Abreu, 9, admitted that the giant bubble “was cool” after she lifted the soapy solution into the air.

“We’d probably have riots if we ever got Q rid of the giant bubble,” Record joked.

Games are used to help teach children the laws of nature, as Nicholas Burns, 8, discovered with a basketball and Michael Moreno, 5, did on the Rocket Park miniature golf course. The science playground, with its Rube Goldberg-like ball run, shows how various forms of energy affect objects.

C M SG page 15 Y K

AEROBICS AND ACTIVITY

by Christopher Barca

I

f you’re looking to get your body ready for summer days spent walking the Coney Island boardwalk without a shirt on, there are few better places to get your workout on than the Al Oerter Recreation Center in Flushing.

At least that’s what hundreds of other borough residents have been doing.

“I see the trends,” said center Director Anthony Traverso, “and our membership is increasing.”

Hidden away on Fowler Avenue between Flushing Meadows Corona Park and College Point Boulevard, the eight-year-old, $50 million Al Oerter Recreation Center — named for the Astoria-born Olympic gold medalist in discuss throwing — has all the fitness classes any area YMCA would have, plus so much more.

“It’s a very nice variety,” Traverso said. “In the morning, there are no kids. But in the afternoon, the youth comes in and plays.”

Membership is free for children under 18 at the Parks Department facility, and there’s no shortage of programs for the youth of the borough to take advantage of.

Arts, tennis, karate and crafts groups are

some of the most popular kids’ activities, according to Traverso, while clinics focussing on general fitness, basketball and even K’NEX — the popular construction toy sets — are also well-attended by area children.

Even if your kid isn’t a member, there are still plenty of programs to get involved in.

“We have a junior sports club, where they’re introduced to a variety of sports of the 12-week session,” the center director said. “We do offer a few free classes for anyone with identification, like walking on Mondays from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. and step aerobics on Tuesday.”

Yearly membership for young adults between 18 and 24 and seniors over 62 costs a mere $25, while residents between those two age groups are charged $150.

Six-month memberships for adults are also available for half the cost.

Once you become a member, Traverso said, that’s when a bevy of programs unavailable to nonpaying customers is unlocked.

Some of the busier members’ activities include hour-long spinning, Zumba and boot camp classes designed to whip your body into shape, while families looking for a less tiring physical activity have free rein of the facility to do whatever they please.

“We have family time on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.,” Traverso said. “That’s for members to come in and have open access to the gym if they want.”

Zumba — the ultra-popular upbeat dance fitness class — has proven to be the most attended program over the years, with up to 100 people packing the Al Oerter gym on average.

For those more interested in staying fit through playing sports, the center offers an indoor basketball court, two indoor handball courts, two racquetball courts, six pingpong tables and an indoor running track for members to use freely.

The hoops court is often open for any member to either hoist up some shots by themselves or get a game of five-on-five going at the end of each day.

The center has also become a hub for adaptive sports over the years — with the venue hosting its first dedicated day to such activities in 2010 — as wheelchair-bound and able-bodied residents alike can play basketball, football, volleyball, indoor soccer and boccia — an accessible version of bocce — together.

Traverso said the center’s pickle ball program has become extremely popular in recent months among seniors, as the sport

Page 15 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, April 14, 2016

Pumping iron at Al Oerter

Residents work out at the Al Oerter Recreation PHOTO COURTESY PARKS DEPARTMENT Center. that combines elements of badminton, tennis and pingpong is exhilarating but does not require much physical exertion.

To become a member, Traverso said the best way is to do so in person.

One form of identification is needed, and membership fees can only be paid by credit or debit card, money order, bank check or personal check. Cash payment is not accepted.

The venue is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. during the week, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays.

For more information, call (718) 353-7853. Q

A Designer’s Touch at Affordable Prices!

Make Your Home New Again

Visit Our FABRIC STORE For Discounted Designer Fabrics Available to the Public!

©2016 M1P • JOVI-069263

JO-VIN

With Our Experienced Designers Measuring & Installation Available

94-23 JAMAICA AVE., WOODHAVEN

718-441-9350

Fax:

718-441-1447

www.jo-vin.com

MAC

WE DO CUSTOM REUPHOLSTERY

SPRING GUIDE e 2016

Custom Window Treatments, Draperies, Shades & Designer Spreads & Comforters

FREE Shop-At-Home

SPRING GUIDE e 2016

QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, April 14, 2016 Page 16

C M SG page 16 Y K

Instilling a love of knowledge

THE QUEENS LIBRARY

by Christina Cardona

A

pril showers bring May flowers, which should be a good thing.

But, they can make spring a relatively wet season. And when it rains, kids are not able to play outside. The Queens Library, however, has events not just for the adult bookworm, but also tons of indoor activities for kids, at which they can have fun and learn in a safe, controlled atmosphere for a few hours.

City public schools’ spring break is April 25 to the 29, when the young’uns have a full week off. That can leave parents scrambling, trying to occupy their kids’ time. The library has programs such as book clubs and STEM programs that have been growing more popular. STEM programs involve science, technology, engineering and mathematics in different projects and events.

At the Bayside branch, 214-20 Northern Blvd., the library has a program called Book Buddies every Friday from 4 to 5 p.m. until May 13. It lets children in kindergarten through the fourth grade enjoy an hour of activities and reading with a teen buddy.

Registration is not required. There is an identical program at the Broadway branch, 40-20 Broadway, Astoria, called Saturday Afternoon Book Buddies. Every Saturday from April 9 to April 30 from 1 to 3 p.m., children can practice their reading skills with a teen volunteer.

“We want kids to read for the love of libraries and the love of reading,” Joanne King, director of communications at the Queens Library, said. “We want them to maintain reading skills when they’re not in school.”

The Summer Reading Program, which starts on Brooklyn Queens Day, June 2, is something kids can do during the summer to maintain their skills. It may be called the Summer Reading Program, but really it begins in the spring. Kids can come in, read a book of their choosing and record it on a reading log. Once a certain number of books is read, they can win a prize. Participants just need to read as many books as they can. Last year 70,000 signed up for the program.

There is a Children’s Library Discovery Center, located at the Central Library, 89-11 Merrick Blvd., Jamaica. It opened in 2011 and hosts hands-on experiments and learning labs for children aged 3 to 12. It emphasizes STEM programs. The Discovery Team is made up of volunteers, mainly in college or high school, who are supervised while doing experiments with kids at the Discovery Center. They do hands-on experiments every day — ones involving magnets, ones that promote engineering principles and weather-related projects. They also do multiple-day projects, such as hatching butterflies in a habitat.

Hands-on activities are a big part of how children learn about science, technology, engineering PHOTO COURTESY QUEENS LIBRARY and mathematics at the Queens Library.

“We try to make it fun, we do fun learning activities,” Sharon Cox, the Discovery Center’s assistant director, said. “Since it’s in an informal setting, maybe kids will think science is more fun.”

Every Saturday, unless there is another scheduled event, the Discovery Center hosts a Saturday Science Lab, a themed lab designed for children in elementary school.

Families are welcome to attend the lab as well. Registration is not required and the labs are from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. During the Saturday Science Lab, there are three activities that revolve around the theme of the day, and the kids are split into three groups. There are sets of vocabulary words that kids need to define as well.

“We always think about literacy here,” Lynn Cole, the interactive exhibit supervisor at the Discovery Center, said.

The kids are given a sheet to take home that they can work on and hand in at the following Saturday lab for a prize.

“We just finished a physiology lab about body systems, like the circulation system, respiratory system, nervous system and immune system,” Cole said.

Cole added that the library has gotten a cow

heart and a sheep brain to dissect in the past for its Saturday Science Labs. She said the library tries as often as possible to get real things for the children to see and interact with. That way they have a hands-on learning experience.

“It’s kind of gross stuff, but kids love that,” Cole said.

The Discovery Center, which is two floors and has outdoor space, usually sees 35 to 40 kids on Saturdays doing all sorts of experiments.

“What speaks most loudly is that many of those kids are repeats,” Cole said.

Earth Day is April 22, and the following week, from April 25 to 28, the Central Library is going to have Earth Day-themed programming each afternoon. Monday’s movie is from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. and will be about the Arctic and Antarctic regions.

Tuesday’s movie is from 3 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. and will be about rainforests. Wednesday’s movie will be at the same time and will be about insects, while Thursday’s movie will be about deserts, and run at the same time.

There will be other Earth Day-themed activities from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.

On Saturday, April 30 there will be a special Earth Day Celebration at the Central

Library from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Discovery Team will perform environmentally themed experiments and activities. Organizations will come and talk to the kids about environmental issues and important information about our planet. Organizations such as the Climate and Urban Systems Project will come talk about climate change awareness. The Queens Botanical Garden will talk about trees and plants. The New York City Department of Environmental Protection will talk about the water system and what not to put down the drain. There will be representatives from the Randall’s Island Park Alliance and an organization called Plant Heroes, introduced by the American Public Gardens Association, which will talk about plants and worms.

The Discovery Center is only at the Central Library; expanding depends on funding.

Some events there are privately funded, though, such as a recent computer science program paid for by Google. The Discovery Team also goes out to the branch libraries to conduct activities via cart.

The Long Island City branch, 37-44 21 St., has STEM activities for teens about green energy, called the Green Design Lab. Each Monday, except the last one of each month, until June 13 there will be a lab from 4 to 5 p.m.

These labs, which get together for 10 weeks, are related to sustainable energy and maintaining a cleaner environment. Participants are going to do experiments such as building solar cars, designing wind turbine blades and building 3-D models of sustainable communities. Registration is not required for the Green Design Labs.

The library provides more STEM program activities at other branches throughout the spring. On April 20 at 4 p.m. at the Queens Village branch, 94-11 217 St., there will be a Paper Roller Coaster event. Kids ages 7 to 12 will be able to work together to engineer and build a paper roller coaster. On May 6 at the South Jamaica branch, 108-41 Guy R. Brewer Blvd., from 4 to 5:30 p.m. there will be RoboFun: Video Game Design Workshop. Instructors from RoboFun will teach kids how to program and design their own video games.

Space is limited, and preregistration is required. That workshop will take place every Friday until June 10.

On May 19 and 31 there are going to be gardening events for the whole family from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Woodhaven branch, 85-41 Forest Pkwy.

All of the events, including those at the Discovery Center, are open to the public. No library card is required.

“We hope that when kids and their parents come and see the facility, it encourages them to join,” Cole said.

For a full list of events for kids — as well as adults — held rain or shine all spring, visit Q the library’s website, queenslibrary.org.

C M SG page 17 Y K

A DAY TRIP DESTINATION

by Peter C. Mastrosimone

L

ovely as much of Queens is, sometimes one might want to take a day trip outside the city to get better immersed in nature. And this time of year especially, one standout destination among the countless ones out there is the Bayard Cutting Arboretum in Great River, LI. Located about 35 or 40 miles from the eastern edges of Queens by road, the 691-acre arboretum is a state historic park easily reached by car or the Long Island Rail Road. It is nestled on the Connetquot River, just a bit east of where the Southern State Parkway ends.

Nature lovers, gardeners, amateur arborists and many others can easily spend a full day at the arboretum and still not see it all. It has a long network of trails, with specific routes to be followed to luxuriate in various environments, all of them connected.

The Old Pinetum Walk, for example, takes one among century-old Spanish firs, blue-moss cypresses and other rare and unusual conifers, while the Woodland Garden Walk features shade-tolerant plants in a setting replete with streams and ponds.

The Bayard Cutting Arboretum features stunning gardens, a stately manor house, working BCA PHOTOS VIA FACEBOOK farm and intricate network of trails, all on the Connetquot River.

Cutting being such a key element of landscape management, one could easily make a mistake as to where the arboretum got its name. It’s named for William Bayard Cutting, who owned what then was an estate and old dairy farm called Westbrook, and whose wife and daugther donated it to the state parks system — “that it shall be an oasis of beauty and

of quiet, and that it shall be a source of pleasure, rest and refreshment to those who delight in outdoor beauty� and “an influence in preserving the amenities of our native landscape.�

The arboretum offers many features: guided tours of both the grounds and the mansion, art exhibits such as one by Women Sharing Art that runs through May 22, field trips for

Page 17 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, April 14, 2016

LI’s Bayard Cutting Arboretum

schools, the chance for merit badges for both Boy and Girl Scouts, a cafe and much more.

Development of the estate began in 1887, and many of the large oaks that stand there today already were there then. Several trees on the site are believed to be the largest of their kind regionally, and the arboretum may contain the most extensive collection of well-known and lesser-known conifers on Long Island.

Fans of growing things would be hard-pressed to find a nicer place to visit this close to Queens, and the sense of serenity that envelops the grounds is beyond measure.

The cost to visit, hours, rules and more are all available at bayardcuttingarboretum.com. Q

At The Mary Louis Academy, you will own your voiceEJTUJODUJWF DPOĂ&#x;EFOU JOUFMMJHFOU DSFBUJWF BOE FNQPXFSFE B WPJDF UIBU XJMM CF POF PG ZPVS HSFBUFTU BTTFUT JO MJGF

SHADOW A STUDENT

VISIT US ONLINE

buddy@tmla.org

www.tmla.org

MALO-068654

SPRING GUIDE e 2016

The Mary Louis Academy is sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood, New York Accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and Chartered by the State of NY.

QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, April 14, 2016 Page 18

C M SG page 18 Y K

Strolling thru’ the park one day

QUEENS’ GREEN SIDE Q

ALLEY POND PARK 69-70 230 St., Oakland Gardens Alley Pond Park has all the amenities you’d expect from a neighborhood park — playgrounds, barbecue areas and courts and fields galore! It also offers glimpses into New York’s geologic past, its Colonial history and its current conservation efforts with numerous unique natural features, like its freshwater and saltwater wetlands, tidal flats, meadows and forests, which create a diverse ecosystem and support abundant bird life.

It is home to New York City’s first public high ropes adventure course (the largest in the northeast), part of the Urban Park Rangers’ larger Alley Pond Park Adventure program. A low-cost outdoor education and advent u re prog ram, Alley Pond Park Adventure teaches participants how to canoe, use a compass, fish and enjoy a natural setting without leaving the city.

CROCHERON PARK 214 Place, Cross Island Parkway 35th Avenue, Bayside

SPRING GUIDE e 2016

walkways provide space for relaxing. The park features a pond that is home to families of turtles. A cement turtle, set atop the rolling hills overlooking the pond, stands guard above his more lively counterparts as they navigate the waters below. Two weeping willows, measuring nearly 50 feet in height, stand adjacent to the pond.

In addition, American elms and oaks shade the park during the summer months with their wide canopies. The John Bowne homestead, located at 37-01 Bowne Street, lies south of the park and remains the oldest private residence in the borough.

ueens is blessed with dozens of parks large and small, for everything from taking a leisurely stroll to seeking out wildlife to playing organized sports. Here are brief rundowns on some of the biggest and best, as described by the City of New York.

Crocheron Park has picnic grounds, winding walks, an enlarged lake for wintertime skating, and thousands of trees. Some of the species found in the park are northern catalpa (Catalpa seciosa), American elm (Ulmus americana), honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos), sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus), red oak (Quercus rubra), Japanese black pine (Pinus thunbergiana), London planetree (Platanus x acerifolia) and weeping willow (Salix alba ‘Tristis’).

There are also a dozen tennis courts, a baseball diamond and a field house. Visitors can also take in the views of Little Neck Bay from either of the hexagonal gazebos that stand on the bluff. The park undertook a major renovation of Golden Park in 1973, when the goldfish pond was restored and a tennis house, tennis courts, playground and six baseball fields were built. Together, Golden Park and Crocheron Park provide the neighborhood with a large area for recreation.

FLUSHING MEADOWS CORONA PARK Grand Central Parkway, Whitestone Expressway between 111th Street and College Point Boulevard, Park Drive East The site of two 20th century World’s Fairs attended by millions of people, Flushing Meadows Corona Park continues to draw and delight visitors. As the largest

CUNNINGHAM PARK 196-10 Union Tpke., Fresh Meadows

Baseball’s cousin cricket is becoming more and more popular in Queens, and can be played at PHOTO BY DANIEL AVILA / NYC PARKS Baisley Pond Park in Jamaica. park in Queens, it offers plenty of space for whatever your recreational desires may be — baseball, soccer, tennis or cricket.

Lots more too, including a stunning recreation complex, a zoo, an art museum, a botanical garden, a science museum, and a baseball stadium. Explore one of the park’s six playgrounds, take a stroll along the Flushing Bay Promenade or launch your model airplane. Flushing Meadows Corona Park has room for all your active pursuits!

JUNIPER VALLEY PARK 71-01 Juniper Blvd., Middle Village Juniper Valley Park is an integral part of its Middle Village neighborhood. Locals come to spend time with old friends and neighbors while groups gather to take full advantage of the tennis, handball and basketball courts. You might want to loop around the giant baseball field (2.25 laps/mile).

The park’s shuff leboard court is much beloved by the area’s older members, and the bocce courts are a legacy of the neighborhood’s active Italian community.

Learn to Ride: Kids is a free class for adults and mature teens who are ready to ride bikes. It will be held on Saturday, May 14, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Most kids learn to ride in one session, but even if they don’t, they can join us for another free class.

TRAVERS PARK

through play equipment, athletic facilities, and attractive and well-designed plantings and horticulture.

ASTORIA PARK 24-02 19 St., Long Island City Widely known for its beautiful pool, the oldest and largest in the city, Astoria Park offers more than aquatic pleasures. Outdoor tennis courts, a track, a bandstand, multiple trails, basketball courts and playgrounds lure visitors from the five boroughs and beyond. And the views! Sitting on the edge of the East River and resting between the Triborough Bridge and Hell Gate Bridge, the park offers shoreline sights and sounds that make the benches along its perimeter popular spots year-round.

The 56-acre park has been expanded.

Phase one rehabilitated the playground in the park’s southern section, the park fields and the drainage system.

Phase two restored the comfort station and installed new play equipment, swings, drinking fountains and game tables.

Phase three focused on restoration of the park’s northeast section and included repaving all the roads and walkways, rerouting pedestrian entrances, installing new benches and planting trees, shrubs and groundcover.

The inviting setting of Astoria Park remains rich in history and symbolic of an ever-changing New York City.

33-16 78 St., Jackson Heights

The rolling terrain of Cunningham Park was carved out by glaciers nearly 20,000 years ago. Today it provides a tree-lined path for walkers, joggers and bicycle riders, tennis courts, playgrounds, stables, bridle paths, playing fields, picnic groves and parking lots.

Cunningham Park is a treasured neighborhood resource that features diverse recreational facilities and an extensive calendar of special events. Annual events include appearances by the New York Philharmonic, the Metropolitan Opera and the Big Apple Circus.

FOREST PARK 83-98 Forest Pkwy., Glendale Forest Park is one of the natural treasures of New York City. Within Forest Park is the Overlook, the administration building for Queens Parks, and Oak Ridge, the former golf course clubhouse and current administration building for Forest Park.

Forest Park also offers a wide array of recreational facilities, such as the George Seuffert Sr., Bandshell, the carousel, the bridle path, tennis courts, playgrounds and Victory Field. Annual events include the Halloween Walk, the Victorian Christmas, Nature Trails Day, orienteering and battle re-enactments, which draw the participation of the surrounding neighborhoods of Kew Gardens, Woodhaven, Richmond Hill, Forest Hills and Glendale.

Forest Park is the third-largest park in Queens and contains the largest continuous oak forest in Queens and a 110-acre golf course.

BOWNE PARK Travers Park features a leaf-and-vine shaped spray shower, benches and plantings, and a bicycle rack for the Jackson Heights community to use. The playground is fully-ADA compliant and is appropriate for children ages 5 to 10, and there are also basketball courts, game tables and picnic areas and areas for handball, tennis and roller hockey.

With its amenities, Travers Park brings the Jackson Heights community together

155-01 32 Ave., Flushing Bowne Park offers recreation for all age groups. It boasts a bocce court surrounded by benches and tables, modern playground equipment, slides, swings, a spray shower and basketball courts.

The parkhouse, crowned by a weather vane, includes a community room that doubles as a nursery. Beautiful bench-lined

HIGHLAND PARK Jackie Robinson Parkway, Vermont Avenue, Highland Boulevard between Bulwer Place and Cypress Hills Street, Cypress Hills Conveniently located on a high plateau that straddles Queens and Brooklyn, Highland Park offers stunning views of Ridgewood continued on next page

C M SG page 19 Y K Page 19 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, April 14, 2016

Enjoying what Queens parks offer

ELMHURST PARK Grand and 57th avenues between 74th and 80th streets, Elmhurst Elmhurst Park features lush lawns, jogging paths, seating, sculpture, modern comfort stations, safety lighting and more than 620 trees. The playground, designed for tots and young children, is energythemed, in keeping with the site’s history.

At the playground children can pedal a stationary bike to provide a light effect on a nearby column.

KISSENA PARK Fresh Meadows Lane, Kissena Boulevard, between Oak, Underhill and Booth Memorial avenues, Flushing Kissena Park is an ideal location to both relax and participate in fun outdoor activities. Flanked by weeping willows and shady trees the park creates an idyllic setting to enjoy a sunny day.

Stroll through the park to take in all of the lush flora and fauna and be sure not to miss the historic tree grove. The dozens of species of trees in the grove are some of the most exotic in the world. In fact, the grove got its start as part of a 19th century horticultural nursery for the New York region.

Get active at one of the park’s many recreational facilities. Try and beat your best time on the bike at the park velodrome. Play a round of golf at the Kissena public course. And of course there are lots of playgrounds, baseball diamonds and tennis and handball courts for all to use.

BAISLEY POND PARK North Conduit and 116th avenues between 150th Street, Suptin Boulevard and Baisley Boulevard South, Jamaica

Brookville Park offers playgrounds with spray showers, barbecuing areas, ba seba l l f ield s , bicycl i ng, bocce cour ts, handball cour ts and ten nis courts.

www.forestparkdental.net

FREE

FORT TOTTEN PARK 422 Weaver Ave, Bayside A pristine stretch surrounding a preserved Civil War fortress, Fort Totten Park provides not only recreation and relaxation but a fascinating glimpse into New York’s past. Year-round, New Yorkers flock to Fort Totten Park to enjoy its special events, natural wonders and historic buildings.

On hot summer days swimmers can take a dip in the pool and sunbathe a rou nd it s g r a ssy ed ges, or t a ke canoes out and paddle along the Long Island Sound. Come Halloween, thousands are spooked by its enor mous haunted “house,” located in the old water battery. During the winter, bird e nt hu si a s t s c o n g r eg a t e t o w a t ch migrating waterfowl rest before their long journey south. And exploring the fortress and its surrounding buildings remains a unique adventure during any season.

Urban Park Rangers lead regular tours of the fortress and the wildlife sur rounding it for those who enjoy guided treks, and a visitors’ center inside the park provides helpful information on the park’s past for those prefer to scout alone.

HUNTER’S POINT SOUTH PARK Center Boulevard between 50th and 54th avenues, LIC This waterfront park, until recently an abandoned post-industrial area in Long Island City, has been transformed into a space that offers fun and relaxation for everyone in the area. The new park includes a central green, playground, dog run, bikeway, waterside promenade, a basketball court and a 13,000- square-foot pavilion that contains comfort stations, concessions and an elevated cafe plaza.

QUEENSBRIDGE PARK Queensboro Bridge, 41st Road, 40th Avenue between the East River, Vernon Boulevrd and 21st Street, LIC This park is named for the nearby Queensboro Bridge, which is also known as the Queensbridge or 59th Street Bridge. The 1960s band Simon and Garfunkel made the bridge famous in their song “Feelin’ Groovy,” also called “The 59th Street Bridge Song.”

Facilities include barbecuing areas, baseball fields, dog-friendly areas, eateries, handball courts and playgrounds with Q spray showers.

CONSULTATION, EXAM and X-RAYS For All New Patients!

FREE • Painless & Affordable Family Dentistry • Cosmetic Dentistry • Braces and Invisalign® • Implants • One-Visit Crowns • Laser Dentistry • Whitening Procedures

ORTHODONTICS CONSULTATION! $

300 Off! invisalign

®

Clear Braces

69-45 Myrtle Ave. Glendale, NY 11385

718.821.4680

Facebook.com/ForestParkDental

Proud Member of the Glendale Kiwanis Club

77 CLEANING, LLC A Green Clean Company • Home and Office Cleaning • Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning • Move-In/Move-Out • Yard and Garden Cleanups • Cleanouts • Windows Cleaned

SPRING TIME SPECIAL

✓ We use only Green and Environmentally Safe Cleaning Products! ✓ We Serve All 5 Boroughs FIRST TIME CUSTOMER SPECIAL!

4 Rooms of Cleaning

Only

7700!

$

+ tax

With this coupon. Cannot be combined with any other offer.

Spring SPECIAL!

2 Rooms 10’x10’ Carpets Cleaned For

Only

7700!

$

+ tax

With this coupon. Cannot be combined with any other offer.

FREE ESTIMATES! CALL NOW! LICENSED and INSURED ©2016 M1P • 77CL-068647

718 -326 - 8761 www.77Cleaning.com

HOURS: 8 AM - 6 PM 7-DAYS

SPRING GUIDE e 2016

Baisley Pond Park is a great place to play tennis, handball, basketball and cricket, with spaces to run, bike and rollerblade. It offers playgrounds for your child’s enjoyment, peaceful, shady alcoves for picnicking and an urban natural habitat for your own study of plant and animal life. There’s a good chance you can find your niche at Baisley Park.

BROOKVILLE PARK 232-236 Edgewood Ave., Rosedale

©2016 M1P • FODE-068659

continued from previous page Reservoir, the Rockaways, the Atlantic Ocean and nearby cemeteries.

The park is a popular spot among residents of both boroughs and continues to play an important role in the community.

Children’s farm gardens act as hands-on classrooms, barbecue areas serve as meeting grounds for mass celebrations, and numerous tennis courts, baseball fields, handball courts and basketball courts provide New Yorkers with safe, clean spots for athletic recreation.

The pathway around the basins is heavily used by Brooklyn and Queens residents for walking and exercise. The reservoir boasts being home to more than 151 species of birds.

wi In My t h te C o r a Ea n Free est mm rn d M O Ch un >m ob nli ec ity or ile ne king e ®. B Ba 1 .. G a n n k et king 3 ing 2 >m ! or e ®.

QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, April 14, 2016 Page 20

C M SG page 20 Y K

My

SPRING GUIDE e 2016

QUCO-069151

is (877) 786-6560 • myNYCB.com Over 35 convenient branch locations throughout Queens!

1

Minimum deposit to open account is $100. There will be a fee if your account is closed within 180 days of opening. 2No monthly service charges apply. Fees may apply for optional services. Please talk to a branch representative or ask for our fee schedule for more details. 3Standard messaging and data rates may apply when using mobile and text banking. NYCB Mobile is available for eligible customers and accounts who have registered and logged into NYCB Online. Some features are not available through NYCB Mobile, and can only be accessed by logging into NYCB Online.

Equal Opportunity Lender

© New York Community Bank- Member FDIC