Northeast Queens Projects Get $23M From City Budget

BAYSIDE, QUEENS — Northeast Queens neighborhoods will be allocated $23 million to spend on improving schools, parks and a community center, councilman Paul Vallone said Monday.

The funds will be distributed to Bayside, Doiglaston, Whitestone and College Point.

Each school in the neighborhoods will get $50,000 with more allocated for those in need of critical repairs, Vallone said.

The Alley Pond Environmental Center will receive $8 million to build a new base for providing classes on the environment to children and adults. An additional $2.5 million will be allocated for the Bay Terrace playground, according to Vallone's office.

Non-profits of Northeast Queens including the Bayside Historical Society, Poppenhusen Institute and the HANAC Angelo Petromelis Senior Center will receive $1 million, the Councilman said.

A portion of the funding will also go to support some of the projects that got the most votes in the Participatory Budgeting cycle this year, Vallone said. They include a technology upgrade for the Whitestone Library and 3,200 new lockers for Bayside High School.

"This year’s budget marks another clear victory for our communities as we continue to invest fully in the future of our children, schools, parks, libraries and non-profits that call Northeast Queens their home," Vallone said.

Lead image via Pixabay