Friday, December 20, 2019
Vol. 96, No.13
FOUNDED 1923
n
$1
DOUGLAS ELLIMAN LEADS TH E MARKE T
LOCALLY OWNED AND EDITED
Patrick McC oo ey
Lic . As soc . R. E. Br ok er
Branch Manag er, Garden City Office 130 Seventh Str eet | O: 516.30 7.9406 See our ad on
elli ma n.c om
n
Papa Jim’s trees PAGE 47 n “Will Sing for Food” PAGE 34
Page 13
/lon gis lan d
© 2019 DOUGLAS ELLIMAN REAL ESTA TE. EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY. 110 WALT WHITMAN ROAD, HUNTINGTON STATION, NY 11746. 631.549. 7401
7th Street safety, school bus stops topics at BOT meeting
A VISIT FROM SANTA
BY RIKKI N. MASSAND
On Saturday Morning, Santa Claus paid a visit to the Garden City Fire Department. The children and grandchildren of members of the GCFD were treated to Breakfast, a magic show and a special visit from the Santa. The children had a wonderful time as they enjoyed a fun filled morning. Special thanks to all the Volunteers for hosting this festive event! By Regina Moran
Poor pedestrian paths in Central? BY RIKKI N. MASSAND At the Board of Trustees meeting on Thursday December 12, a resident suggested that the Village consider improving pedestrian safety around Eleventh Street near the Senior Center on Golf Club Lane. A resident raised her concerns twice last week and eventually learned the village plans
to address the lack of a sidewalk on one block as well as the lack of safe pedestrian crossings in the area. Heather Nielsen of Carteret Place suggested that the Village capital budget in 2020-’21 -- which would be part of deliberations this February and March and up for Board of Trustees’ approval in early April -- should include sidewalk for the north side of
11th Street. “There is no safe way for people who live in our neighborhood to walk north to Franklin Avenue, to access Lord & Taylor and nearby places such as Panera, Walgreens, some of the banks or to walk right up to the Mineola LIRR station which many people do as well. A lot See page 28
In 2020 the Village of Garden City intends to make more strides and solutions for safe, accessible enjoyment and patronage of local businesses in the 7th Street/Franklin Avenue hub, the site weekly summer promenades and al fresco dining. Concerns about pedestrian safety and 7th Street’s layout came up during a special Board work session on “7th Street Safety Issues” which was held on Thursday, December 12. The potential for a car or truck to go too fast down Franklin Avenue and cause a catastrophic accident prompted discussion between village trustees and the executive staff on how to keep the area safe. Deputy Mayor Robert Bolebruch asked Superintendent of Public Works Joseph DiFrancisco to provide the Garden City Traffic Commission, the Board and village staff with some information and recommendations on safety measures that could be put in place, in particular at the busy corner of Franklin and Seventh Street, near Leo’s and The French Workshop. Bolebruch suggested that traffic and safety concerns could be quelled by adding large, decorative rectangular planters or low bollards (sturdy and short vertical post, either cylindrical or rectangular in appearance). The French Workshop has a Bayside, Queens location along a busy stretch of Bell Boulevard but that main road is single-lanes only, north-south, and the pedestrian traffic is buffered by cars and NYC streetside (metered) parking. Along Franklin Avenue the speeds of vehicles are often greater than 25 miles per hour, the New York City posted limit, and the traffic darts in the village’s “T-zone” to and from other locations including several large offices and office buildings, shopping plazas and institutions such as NYU-Winthrop. Deputy Mayor Bolebruch noted that Leo’s is a Garden City staple and the holidays draw more groups to local restaurants, and since its opening The French Workshop “has been unbelievably successful.” “Leo’s and the new French Workshop are packed at nights during summer and often during weekends now. Those locations can’t be more than six feet from their front doors to Franklin Avenue. There is not a protective bar if any car lost See page 46
West End Christmas Tree shines at lighting PAGES 40-41 Local Church services for Christmas season PAGES 15-17