Rego Park Green Alliance Hosts Green Wall At Hevesi Y

Dear Rego Park Green Alliance,

I just want to thank the Rego Park Green Alliance for being a part of a very successful Green for Queens Earth Day Fair! Despite the dismal, rainy weather, I think we had a great crowd and people were extremely enthusiastic. Your participation was key to making this a hit. Your table had very informative information about green walls and sustainable art. Many of our attendees mentioned it in their exit surveys.

It was a pleasure to work with you. Please do keep us in mind if you would like to come back out for a summer program for kids or an anytime program for adults!

Peggy Kurtz
Hevesi Jewish Heritage Library
Central Queens YM&YWHA
67-09 108th Street
Forest Hills, New York 11375
Phone: (718) 268-5011, ext. 151
Fax: (718) 793-0515
Pkurtz@cqyjcc.org

Pocket Garden installed by the Rego Park Green Alliance: Small hope for an area devoid of public green spaces

Six months ago the Rego Park Green Alliance saw a neglected space along the side entrance of a church. “It was overgrown with weeds and there was also a pile of bagels, they had been thrown into the area to feed the pigeons,” says Shortt, co-founder of the Rego Park Green Alliance. Shortt says after several conversations with Our Saviour on 63rd Street, they had a plan. During two phases they would cleanup the area and create a low maintenance garden designed for planting and reading.

The Pocket Garden was born in a 9X40 foot space with the help of Colta Ives from Colta Ives Landscape and Design and the committed volunteers of the Rego Park Green Alliance. There are two conversation areas in the center, a wood bench created for $15.00, and tree trunks with handles for the kids. “The tree trunks were taken from the trees that were knocked down during our last storm,” Says Shortt. There are also planting beds filled with tulips, hyacinth, and daffodils. Along the back wall are three large Cypresses and there are several vines along the side that will eventually hide a fence separating the church from the building next store.

The Pocket Garden is a proof of concept according to Shortt. “We would like to find other outward facing neglected spots and create more Pocket Garden oases,” she says. If you know of other spots in Rego Park that are neglected, outward facing, and would make the perfect candidate for a garden contact Mrs. Shortt at Yvonne@kidstechlabs.com.

Rego Park Vegetable Garden: P.S. 139 Kids Show Everything Is Possible

So much is possible with the help of a school and a community. This month P.S. 139 planted basil, lettuce, oregano, peas, beans, and so much more in front of their school. "We didn't have any shade so we couldn't plant the garden inside the gate, we had to plant the garden on the sidewalk and hope the community would love it." says Yvonne Shortt co-founder of the Rego Park Green Alliance. The Rego Park Green Alliance is a local community group that secured the grant and worked with parents and teachers to organize the planting.

The best part is the community has loved and help nurture the garden. "Sometimes parents walk by and rub the basil. Then they smell their hands and smile," says Shortt.

The Rego Park Green Alliance has also organized a mural behind the garden. Plants and butterflies can be seen behind the planters on a bright yellow wall. On most mornings kids and parents can be seen looking at the plants and measuring their progress. The science teachers have also been a great asset to the garden. Teachers took over 200 children out to help get the garden planted and they work with the children everyday to water the plants.

"If you have a committed community anything is possible," says Shortt. And you know what? I believe her.

Written By Richard West