Crotona Park

The Daily Plant : Thursday, August 24, 2000

COWBOYS AND HORSES KICK UP THE DUST AT CROTONA PARK

Photograph by Malcolm (Cinema) Pinckney

On Saturday, August 19, a great tradition of the Wild West came to Crotona Park in Queens, where the 6th Annual Pony Express Rodeo took place. Fans from the New York area and beyond gathered to watch the event, which boasts that it is the only rodeo where the animals are drug-free.

The rodeo featured cowboys of all ethnicities from all over the country, and even from countries as far as Brazil. A Native American powwow and mariachi players were among the day's many other attractions. The event, sponsored by Cablevision and the Junior Tennis League, gives families a chance to encounter different cultures while seeing some terrific rodeo action. For the past six years the rodeo has successfully served as a day for children and adults alike to have a good time in a wholesome, fun environment.

PARKS GETS ROLLING ON SEVERAL RESTORATION PROJECTS

Construction costs were recently approved for several projects designed to keep our park facilities in top shape. $11,877,000 will go towards the reconstruction of the former Ederle Amphitheater site and to construct a comfort station in Corona Park in Flushing Meadows, $1,655,000 will help reconstruct portions of the East 54th St. Recreation Center in Manhattan, and $12,088,350 will be used to reconstruct the irrigation systems at Pelham Bay, Split Rock, and Van Cortlandt Park Golf Courses in the Bronx.

TRIVIA TALENT

On the morning of Tuesday, August 22, StarQuest held a breakfast with the four winners of the New Employee Orientation Parks Trivia Contest from June and July. The knowledgeable foursome were Evelyn (Anukason) Sanford, Nigel (PowerPoint) Greaves, Sara (Hyde) Cohen, and Elaine (CrowBar) Crowley. Trainers Valerie (Bullwinkle) Hall and Samara (Samba) Epstein were also present for this breakfast meeting of the brains.

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO IN THE PLANT
(Thursday, August 27, 1987)

GROUND BROKEN FOR MANHATTAN'S P.S. 198 PLAYGROUND

Seated in the bright sunshine next to a large front-end loader at Lexington Avenue and East 96th Street, community leaders met with Commissioner Stern and local children from the Mt. Morris Day Camp to break ground this morning for a $673,711 restoration of P.S. 198 playground. "When I first saw the plans and looked at them I said let's plan it again," noted Commissioner Stern. "We then went back to the community and now I think we'll have a better playground."

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

A perfect beauty of a sunflower! a perfect excellent lovely sunflower existence! a sweet natural eye to the new hip moon, woke up alive and excited grasping in the sunset shadow sunrise golden monthly breeze.

Allen Ginsberg (b. 1926)