Following our meeting with Gary Giordano from Community Board 5 Queens, Eushavia, Mario, and I decided to get another opinion regarding the Ridgewood Reservoir.

Monday afternoon we trekked out to Howard Beach in Queens to meet with Joe Addabbo, New York State Senator.  We got off the A train and wandered down the quiet street to Senator Addabbo’s tiny, unpretentious office.  Inside, sheltered from the heat, he welcomed us to his office and started right in to the issue at hand.

“The Ridgewood Reservoir is in our backyards, but it’s probably one of New York City’s best kept secrets. We have decades and decades of natural growth [in the Reservoir], which is quite unique. I don’t see why we shouldn’t protect that.”

As Senator Addabbo sees it, there are two competing views about what should be done with the limited funds granted to the Reservoir: the Parks Department wants more recreational green space in New York City, whereas the community, Addabbo believes, wants to leave the Reservoir in its natural state, along the lines of Gary Giordano’s philosophy: less is more. “Money is not in abundance. When we talk about a multi-million dollar project, we have to make sure we spend it right. Most of the money that’s been allocated to the Ridgewood Reservoir will be absolved in the first phase.” Then what?

“There are many things we can do to increase the accessibility and increase the safety, it all takes money. The best thing you can do if you don’t have the fiscal means to do it right away is to plan. Do the research and the designs now, and have the plans ready.”

Addabbo is not worried about the threats of new baseball fields, “I don’t believe that has as much momentum as it once did.” However he is upset about things like the lighting. The lighting as it stands (in all of its disheveled splendor) is on the street-side of the path.  The Parks Department would like to move it to the Reservoir-side of the path, “Why spend the extra dollars?” Addabbo asks.  “If the wiring is already on the street-side, why don’t you keep it there? I’m looking to do things more efficiently.”

For Addabbo, it’s Parks vs. the People.  “Parks is going to do what they want to do. Let’s face it, they hold all the chips. …We appreciate any moment they lend an ear to the community.”

Jansyn

(State Senator Joe Addabbo)