Flushing Meadows Corona Park

The Daily Plant : Tuesday, November 17, 2015

NYC Parks Joins Mayor De Blasio And City Council To Launch Flushing Meadows Corona Park Alliance

Katie Honan

Yesterday, Mayor Bill de Blasio, Council Member Julissa Ferreras-Copeland and NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP, announced the official launch of the Flushing Meadows Corona Park Alliance. The new independent non-profit organization will support and promote the upkeep and enhancement of the 900-acre park, which is home to numerous sports fields, as well as internationally recognized professional sports stadiums and museums.

“Flushing Meadows Corona Park is a crown jewel of the City’s Parks Department, and we’re proud to announce the launch of an alliance that will help promote and enhance this beloved Queens park,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Flushing Meadow Corona Park is a pivotal destination for so many of our Queens residents and tourists from around the world, and this alliance will ensure it continues to draw in visitors for years to come. I want to thank Julissa Ferreras-Copeland for her lasting commitment to this vision, which helped ensure this alliance became a reality."

The Alliance’s board of directors is comprised of government, community and business leaders, including:

• Carol Conslato: Director Public Affairs, Con Edison
• Raul Garcia: Associate General Counsel, 32BJ
• Jim Haddad: Proprietor, Law Office of James M. Haddad
• Andrea Hirsch, Chief Administrative Officer & General Counsel, USTA
• Patty Ornst: Managing Director, New York State and Local Government Affairs, Delta Air Lines
• Javier Valdes, Co-Executive Director of Make The Road New York
• Edwin Wong, Vice President, Sr. Relationship Manager, HSBC Commercial Banking
• Danny Zausner, Chief Operating Officer, National Tennis Center

The board includes five ex-officio members: First Deputy Mayor Anthony Shorris, Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP, Acting Cultural Affairs Commissioner Edwin Torres, Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, and Queens Borough President Melinda Katz. The Alliance will also be served by an independent Community Advisory Board (CAB) comprised of community members that reflect the diverse Queens community. Nominations for CAB membership will begin in December with an open informational session. Flushing Meadows Corona Park Administrator Janice Melnick will serve as Executive Director of the Alliance. Upon their first meeting, a CAB member will hold a seat on the Alliance's Board of Directors.

"Flushing Meadows Corona Park is one of New York City's great public spaces, with a past, present and future that truly earn its place as 'The World's Park.' The formation of the Flushing Meadows Corona Park Alliance paves the way for greater community engagement to support and improve this vital Queens resource,” said Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver.

“The Flushing Meadows Corona Park Alliance will provide our park with a community-driven organization to direct strategic planning, effective maintenance and public input. I am honored to announce this historic, new public-private partnership to be a steward for the park, a platform for community engagement, and a vehicle for investment in Queens’ iconic park and our most cherished green space,” said Council Member Julissa Ferreras-Copeland.

“Safeguarding Flushing Meadows Corona Park is a priority that I expect this new alliance will treat with the utmost diligence and due care. Finally, Flushing Meadows Corona Park will have an alliance dedicated solely to its maintenance and well-being so that all park-goers can get the most out of Queens’ flagship park,” said Council Member Peter Koo.

“Flushing Meadows Corona Park is not only a local treasure, but a New York City landmark that people come to visit from all over the world,” said Assembly Member Francisco Moya. “It is imperative that we invest in our park in order to ensure that it remains a community centerpiece for generations to come. I commend Mayor Bill de Blasio, Councilmember Julissa Ferreras, and Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver for launching this innovative new partnership.”

Since hosting the World's Fair in 1939, and again in 1964, Flushing Meadows Corona Park has been one of Queens’ premier recreation destinations. It is the largest and most diverse park in Queens, and is home to the city’s largest lake, the Al Oerter Recreation Center, the Queens Museum, the New York Hall of Sciences, the National Tennis Center, Citi Field, and the newly repainted Philip Johnson masterpiece: the New York State Pavilion. The park is also home to basketball, soccer, tennis and cricket fields, football, golf, skating, kayak and canoeing, skateboarding, swimming, and dragon boats. The park has a theater, zoo, and botanic garden.

Initial funding for the Alliance is supported by the United States Tennis Association (USTA), which will contribute $350,000 for the Alliance’s first three years and $200,000 for the following 20 years.

Know Before You Go

World's Fair Marina

Flushing Meadows Corona Park