Meeting Thursday March 18... but until then !

Greetings friends and neighbors. Our guest speaker this month will be Linda Perez from NY Methodist Hospital. She will be speaking to us about the warning signs of stroke, something about which we all need more awareness. Whether it’s your own health, someone in your family or a neighbor, it is important that we recognize the warning signs early and take action quickly. Come. Protect yourself. Learn.

Next month our guest speaker will be Department of Transportation Borough Commissioner Tom Cocola. Mr.Cocola will be talking to us about the traffic situation in New Dorp with emphasis on the Safe Streets for Seniors program that was first implemented in our community.

There are three things I would like to talk about briefly.

First, Spring cannot get here too quickly. Enough of winter. Enough of snow… at least from my perspective. I enjoy the seasons. Each has its own special characteristic. Yet this winter seemed to drag on and on and the late season snowstorms made it all that more oppressive. (And when Groundhog Day comes next year I’m thinking I will need to very carefully measure the indication given by Staten Island Chuck. He wasn’t even close this year.)

Second, we seriously need for our economy to pick up. Walk up and down the Lane and the Plaza. I have not seen this many empty stores in a decade. Many people are being careful with their money as they wonder about their jobs or continue searching for jobs. As long as the credit markets remain cautious the stores will reopen slowly as more of our people weigh very carefully the wisdom or opening a new endeavor. These are trying times. Look for opportunities to spend your money in New Dorp.

Third, I cannot remember when our roads have been in such poor shape. Moonscapes. Roads that were recently fixed are already cratered. Seams where new roads were joined together are scarred with holes. What happened? Yes, I know it snowed. It snows every year. Never before have I seen such widespread cratering. What gives? Has the mixture of asphalt they use changed over the past year? Or are the crews less skilled ? Or are they more rushed? Why is every trip down the road a challenge?

We need to look beyond the “traditional walls” that define our association. Meetings and newsletters remain a vibrant part of our outreach. However we recognize that there are new ways that we must reach out if we are to remain relevant in our community. Check out our newly updated and redesigned webpage at http://www.ndcca.com/. Along with http://www.ndcca.blogspot.com/ and our email account at newdorpcentralcivic@yahoo.com. We are reachable in many ways. Oh yes, our telephone still works at 718-979-6011 or our Post Office box at PO Box 060245, SI, NY 10306.

Plan on attending a meeting and bring a neighbor. Can’t you give two hours a month to your community? Think about it.

Lastly, never forget that an important part of this dynamic is your feedback and participation. We need your comments, your concerns, your suggestions, your complaints. It is your neighborhood. What is on your mind?
Let us know at 718-979-6011, newdorpcentralcivic@yahoo.com or comment on the blog. Check us out at http://www.ndcca.blogspot.com/ for continuous updates.

I need you to sing aloud the need for civic involvement and invite your neighbors to join. The more voices the smoother and richer the sound. Thank you for your interest in our neighborhood. You live here. You know why it is a respected and desirable community. Be proud of it.

See you around the neighborhood.

Joe Markowski

2010... This and That... Outreach... and You!

Happy New Year! I hope you had an enjoyable holiday season. I know I had a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful holiday season.

As we move into 2010 I want to remind you that we will not have a meeting in January. We will be putting out a newsletter and our first meeting for 2010 will be on Thursday, February 18, 2010. Mark your calendars and plan on attending and bringing a neighbor. Can’t you give two hours a month to your community? Think about it.

So what’s been happening? Councilman Oddo relocated to South Avenue, Uncle Vinnies Comedy Club continues bringing laughter to our neighborhood, the new cafes on New Dorp Plaza – Andrew’s and Domenick’s – are offering fine foods, Ocean3 has been replaced by Francesca’s Steak House, winter has delivered us some very cold weather, and there are a host of programs being offered for our entertainment and to expand our knowledge.

Over the next few days we will be talking about those and other topics. What should you do if you see a deer in our neighborhood? Has Gene’s Deli really closed? Have the changes on Hylan Blvd made that road safer to cross? What will become of Cedar Grove?

And did you notice the interview with Theresa Myrhol on the NYPL’s web page? Remember Theresa? She managed our branch library on New Dorp Lane for years and is now the Seward Park Library Network Manager. Theresa makes an interesting observation when she states: “One has to think beyond the traditional four walls of the library. Embracing the opportunities that social networking brings is essential. It is a vehicle that fosters new relationships with users while strengthening existing partnerships. Blogs, Twitter, Facebook and video will continue to shape and expand ways to share the wealth of information The New York Public Library has to offer.” We too need to look beyond the “traditional walls” that define our association. Meetings and newsletters remain a vibrant part of our outreach. However as this blog recognizes, there are new ways that we must reach out if we are to remain relevant in our community.

An important part of this dynamic is your feedback and participation. We need your comments, your concerns, your suggestions, your complaints. It is your neighborhood. What is on your mind?

Let us know at 718-979-6011, newdorpcentralcivic@yahoo.com or comment here on the blog.

See you around the neighborhood.

> Joe Markowski

Our Monthly Meeting & PS41 Playground Plans

At our meeting tonight a number of neighbors from the PS41 vicinity came to express their concerns about the plans to change the PS41 schoolyard. They are particularly concerned about the short timeline between when they heard about it - and we heard about it - and the planned display of the "final" proposals... in just 12 days!

To our chagrin we have not yet been contacted by the organization planning this work - the Trust for the Public Land (?). Why the secrecy?

We need feedback from anyone who has had experiences related to that schoolyard.

We also need to hear what you think would be appropriate for that location.

Speak up !

Comment here... or send an email to ndcca@excite.com ornewdorpcentralcivic@yahoo.com.

We need for you to get involved... now!

> Joe Markowski, President

Graffiti

Councilman Oddo will be pulling together a group this Thursday to look at the growth of graffiti throughout our neighborhoods. As I walked up the Lane on Sunday I could see more graffiti than I would have liked. (I would have liked none.) Crazily, much of the graffiti is on the second story level meaning that some people (vandals) are climbing atop our commercial buildings so they can leave their tag. That is both ugly plus dangerous.

Hopefully this group will come out of the meeting with some action steps that we can take to stem this ugly tide.

What are your suggestions for fighting graffiti?

> Joe Markowski

New Dorp Lumber Property

The old New Dorp Lumber property is composed of two parcels. It looks like the parcel which housed the wood storage will be replaced by three houses.

As for the main store, it is being cleaned out and renovated(?). Will it be reused by a new tenant? Or is this preparation for demolition? What have you heard?

> Joe

What Do You Think?

OK... I am opening up this blog and I'd like to hear / read your feedback about it and the issues we should be dealing with in our community. I am new to this whole blogging thing so work with me and I'm hoping we can put it to good use for all of us.

So... what do you think? Will this add value to our discussions about our neighborhood? Will it allow us to share informaiton and concerns more quickly?

Let me know what you think and remember our meeting on Thursday night September 20.

> Joe Markowski