Employees at Rab's Country Lanes are pressing the Department of Transportation for answers about the missing street signs. However, it's about more than the traffic signs. NY1’s Lindsay Tuchman filed the following report.
Rab's Country Lanes is a popular bowling spot in Dongan Hills, located on the corner of Delaware Avenue and Hylan Boulevard. However, you might not realize due to the lack of street signs.
Marco Recchia owns Gennaros snack shop in the bowling alley and said after a blackout in April, the street signs were removed for utility pole work and still haven't been replaced.
"We're a landmark here, we've been here for so many years,” he said. “We tell them Delaware and Hylan Blvd., they'll look for the sign Hylan and Delaware."
What's more disturbing to the bowling community is that the sign for "Rab Wilkinson Way," dedicated in 2008 to the late owner of the bowling alley, was also taken down.
"Very talented bowler, well respected here,” Recchia said. “He did so much for the kids, the adults, the seniors and he was just you know, whatever you needed he was there for you."
Rab's son, Frank Wilkinson now owns the alley, and said he's reached out to the department of transportation and 311, but has yet to see a change.
Out of frustration, he tweeted, "It's been 10 mths since St signs were removed for new poles. Several complaints to @nyc311 & @NYC_DOT since then, & no action."
Frank's tweet also grabbed the attention of borough president James Oddo who said he hopes to help DOT quickens the pace. Oddo said he made the DOT borough commissioner aware and urges more Staten Islanders to speak up.
"It should never take the city of New York to provide any service,” Oddo said. “I'm not sure what mistake was made but clearly a mistake was made."
Laurie McAuliffe is the event planner at Rab's Country Lanes and hopes something will finally get done; especially in Wilkinson's honor.
"lt's something that Franky had done in memory of his dad,” she said. “And it took a while to get that done and we had the dedication and we had the proclamation and now we don't."
A spokesperson for the DOT says they are aware and working to replace signage in the next few weeks.