Francis Lewis Park. (Google Maps)
July 2, 2019 By Laura Hanrahan
Council Member Paul Vallone announced today that Francis Lewis Park will undergo a $2 million upgrade that will see improvements to the park’s pathways, entrances and Veterans Memorial.
“I am thrilled to announce this funding allocation, which will go a long way to improve one of northeast Queens’ waterfront gems,” Vallone said. “Access to our public spaces is an integral part of ensuring sustained quality of life in Northeast Queens. I thank Speaker Johnson for his partnership, and I know these improvements will be enjoyed by families in northeast Queens for years to come!”
The funding, set aside in the recently-approved City Council budget, comes from both Vallone’s office and City Council Speaker Corey Johnson. Vallone contributed $300,000, with the remaining $1.7 million coming from a partnership with Johnson.
“The people of northeast Queens deserve nothing less than a first class park, and that’s exactly what they are going to get with this funding,” said Johnson. “Council Member Vallone is a true advocate for his district, and it was a pleasure to work with him during this budget process to help his constituents. I can’t wait to see the final results.”
The park’s pathways will be repaved and improvements to the entrance of the park on 3rd Avenue will be made. A meeting will be held later this year by community leaders to discuss the scope of the upgrades.
Vallone and Johnson both received praise from local community groups grateful for the improvements to the waterfront park.
“Francis Lewis Park is the crown jewel of our community,” said We Love Whitestone Civic President Alfredo Centola. “We Love Whitestone, along with Friends of Francis Lewis Park, have been discussing upgrades with Councilman Vallone that would enhance our crown jewel. We are pleased to be part of this process and look forward to the final product to be enjoyed by our community for years to come. We thank the Councilman for securing the funds to make this happen.”
