First New York City Skate Plaza Will Be Built In Astoria

A schematic drawing of the proposed Astoria Park Skate Plaza shows its proximity to the Triborough Bridge pier. The skate plaza is scheduled to be completed in 2009.

The city Department of Parks and Recreation will soon break ground on a skate park located underneath the Triborough Bridge near the end of Shore Boulevard in Astoria Park, the first of its kind in New York City.

In a lengthy interview with the Gazette this week, City Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr. laid out his vision for the skate park, which he is confident will add yet another unique resource to the Astoria community. Vallone managed to secure more than $1 million for the construction of the park, a place for local kids to skate without bothering pedestrians.

"These are our kids, and they deserve a place where they can exercise and have good, clean fun without endangering anyone else," Vallone said.

The goal of the skate park will be to draw young skateboarders away from areas like Athens Square Park and Woodtree Park, where they have bothered pedestrians and other park goers, Vallone said. Although Vallone encourages active exercise, such as skateboarding, his office has received frequent complaints about skateboarders from all around Astoria

Vallone said the park will resemble a public square in an urban city/townscape environment. This "skate plaza" will incorporate standard park features, such as benches, retaining walls, landscaping and curbs, oriented toward the river for impressive views. People will also be able to use the park for sitting and relaxing, Vallone said.

The skateboard site will not be staffed, which means no ramps or obstacles will be larger than three feet. It will be intended primarily for younger, local skaters, not older daredevils who use large ramps.

Almost four years ago, Vallone noticed that a large parcel of land underneath the Triborough was fenced off and full of construction equipment. Upon investigation, Vallone discovered that the lease of the construction company using the land had expired, and he petitioned the Parks Department not to renew it.

In July 2007, the company was told to remove its equipment, and the site was cleared and prepped for construction months later. It is now a vacant, open area, primed for work to continue. The project is predicted to be completed by the spring of 2009.

"This project was made possible thanks to generous funding from Councilmember Vallone," Queens Parks Commissioner Dorothy Lewandowski said. "The city has invested in new parks and facilities that support a new era in recreation that has included mountain biking trails, an adventure course in Alley Pond Park and the design and construction of eight regional parks throughout the city. Parks & Recreation looks forward to opening the Astoria Skate Park in spring 2009, as it will provide another recreational venue for New York City children to explore."

At a recent Community Board 1 meeting, nearby residents voiced concerns about the skate plaza. Local neighbors were worried the skate park may be noisy or cause an influx of rowdy teenagers.

Vallone addressed those issues, promising to work with the community to reduce any problems with the skate park, but said many complaints were based on misinformation about the plan.

"This project will give kids a place to skate that is far away from the busy sidewalks and parks where they sometimes inconvenience other people, especially seniors," Vallone said. "Any new project always receives some level of skepticism, but we must do what will be best for the entire community."

Vallone said that although he realizes that not everyone may support the skate

park, in the end, he hopes to convince as many people as possible that it will benefit the community. He believes the vast majority of people in Astoria support the plan, and that many who don't support it are misinformed and will change their minds, once it's built. Many people have already contacted his office to voice their enthusiasm, he said.

"It gave me great pleasure to find out last month that a new skateboard park will soon be constructed in Astoria under the Triboro[ugh] Bridge," David Dimeola, a local resident, wrote in a letter to Community Board 1. "As a third-generation Astoria resident and skateboarder since childhood, it brings me great satisfaction to know today's kids will have a designated place in our neighborhood to safely gather and trade tricks."

Vallone said he will work to reduce any potential noise from the skaters. He will also ensure that the Parks Department uses all noise-deadening techniques to minimize any disturbances, such as concrete ramps instead of metal or aluminum. The skate park will also close at dusk, like the rest of the park, and Vallone will ask 114th Precinct police officers to enforce this curfew.

The skate park itself will be located much closer to Shore Boulevard than to any residential street, Vallone said. Separated by parkland and a large parking lot, the skating area will be hundreds of feet from the nearest house, he added. The original plan called for a much larger skate park to be located between Hoyt Avenue North and South, but Vallone said he changed the plan after getting input from community members.

"We have placed this park in a farremoved place, where we will make sure it adds to the community, not detracts from it," Vallone said. "A few years from now, we will view this park as one of Astoria's best assets."