Randall's Island Park

The Daily Plant : Thursday, May 27, 2004

16TH ANNUAL FLEET SHOW COMES TO RANDALL’S ISLAND

Photo by Muhammed Nadeem

Yesterday, the 16th Annual Fleet Show took place on Randall’s Island. First Deputy Commissioner Liam Kavanagh, Queens Borough Commissioner Richard Murphy, Bronx Borough Commissioner Dorothy Lewandowski and Chief of Operations Keith Kerman joined other Parks & Recreation employees and guests as over 100 companies showed off the latest technologies, equipment and products at this spring Parks tradition.

Participating vendors set up colorful tents and booths and displayed the latest technology in vehicles, horticultural equipment, and services related to field and technical services. Food was abundant as vendors tried to entice potential customers to inspect their products. The Fleet Show attracted officials from numerous local, state, and federal government agencies in addition to the private sector.

The range of products and services was diverse. Aerial-Lift, Inc. brought a brand-new tree trimmer, raising brave attendees up over 50 feet in the trimmer’s "bucket," for a bird’s eye view of Randall’s Island. Haul-All showed off their all-purpose, six-services-in-one maintenance truck, the first of which will be coming to Queens’ parks this summer. Storr Tractor brought a fleet of the latest in ballfield and turf maintenance equipment. Stageline showed off one of their portable stages, a version of which will soon be delivered to Wingate Park in Brooklyn. Air compressors, safety lights, mechanics tools, tow trucks, pressure washers, and anti-graffiti coatings were among the hundreds of other items displayed and discussed.

An exceptionally strong contingent of alternative fuel vehicles and equipment rounded out the event. Vogelbilt Corp showed off a 350 horsepower pick-up truck that ran on clean-burning diesel made from vegetable oil. ElectraVaya demonstrated a fleet of zero-emission electric utility vehicles, and attendees were invited to zip around in small electric foot scooters made by Personal Electric Transportation. A full-size gas/electric hybrid bus also arrived, which was the largest hybrid vehicle at the show. In keeping with Parks & Recreation’s recent green initiatives, this year’s fleet show also hosted "Advance the Choice," an annual event of the Clean Cities federal alternative energy program which is coordinated by the New York City Department of Transportation. Clean Cities had their own display, showing off new equipment, and hosted speakers from the U.S. Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Transportation, and many cutting edge vendors.

The purpose of the show was to increase awareness of new technologies and alternative energy for Parks & Recreation and other agencies, while giving vendors the chance to meet potential customers. Although the rain and clouds dampened the island in the morning, weather and spirits were high at another successful show. Deputy Chief of Operations Dan Froehlich organized the Fleet Show along with the New York City Department of Transportation’s Mark Simon and Susan McSherry, who organized the Clean Cities event. Special thanks go to Operations employees Muhammad Nadeem, Sherry Lee, Harris Kaplan, Susan Friedman, Howard Febo, Mahanth Joishy, and many others. Written by Keith Kerman & Mahanth Joishy

But lo! men have become the tools of their tools.

Henry David Thoreau

(1817–1862)