A new year, new growth, in Astoria, Queens.
Community members told NY1 they are far from enthusiastic about the newest addition to their sidewalks.
What You Need To Know
- The city’s Department of Parks and Recreation recently planted the trees in the center of the sidewalk instead of by the curb, and some residents are not happy
- Sirley Oliveira, who has lived in a Queens building for nearly 40 years, and says the trees in the middle of the sidewalk may create challenges for parents with strollers or residents who use carts for groceries
- Another longtime community member, Ileana Ibanez, said she's concerned about ADA accessibility and people in wheelchairs being able to get around easily
- In a statement to NY1, the department said: “At Parks, we aim to plant trees at every viable location, making our city greener, cleaner, and cooler. We’ve heard from the community that we missed the mark with these tree placements, and we will be relocating the trees to more appropriate locations”
A “Happy New Year” sign was tied to a tree on 29th Street in Astoria. However, trees planted in the middle of the sidewalk are making it difficult for some people to step into the new year.
“From the point of how it looks, it looks stupid,” said Rita Dumova, who lives on 29th Street.
For some longtime community members like Dumova, the tree and three others like it stir up strong emotions.
The city’s Department of Parks and Recreation recently planted them in the center of the sidewalk, instead of by the curb, and some residents are not happy.
Sirley Oliveira has lived in a Queens building, which now features three of trees on the sidewalk, for nearly 40 years, and was away for the holidays.
She says coming home to be greeted by these trees is an unwelcome surprise.
“I was very upset because how can you plant a tree in the middle of the sidewalk? I have friends who live here, who have little ones, and they say, why? Why they did [they do] that?” she asked.
It’s a challenge for parents with strollers, Oliveira said. The trees taking up real estate on the pavement means people have to navigate around them.
In a statement to NY1, the Department of Parks and Recreation said: “At Parks, we aim to plant trees at every viable location, making our city greener, cleaner, and cooler. We’ve heard from the community that we missed the mark with these tree placements, and we will be relocating the trees to more appropriate locations.”
They also said existing utility lines prevented them from planting trees directly along the curb as they typically would.
On 29th Street, the trees are a hot topic of conversation on the pavement.
“Handicapped people, that they have to pass around here, I mean it’s ridiculous,” said Ileana Ibanez, who’s been in the neighborhood for 40 years.
The community members we spoke with say they like trees, and want them, just at an appropriate location.
“It was weird,” said James Solomito. “I don’t know how it happened, but if there’s more trees in the neighborhood, I figure it can’t be a bad thing.”
NY1 reached out to the department to get an idea on their timeline for relocating those trees.