Elmhurst Park Explained

Elmhurst Park
Coords:40.7298°N -73.8855°W
Type:Urban park
Location:Elmhurst, Queens, New York City
Operator:New York City Department of Parks and Recreation
Website:Elmhurst Park

Elmhurst Park is a 6.22acres public park located in Elmhurst, Queens, New York City. The site was formerly home to the Elmhurst gas tanks (officially the Newtown Holder Station), a pair of large natural gas storage gasometers that were 200feet tall. The area is bordered on the south by 57th Avenue and the Long Island Expressway, on the north by Grand Avenue, on the west by the CSX-operated Fremont Secondary, and on the east by 80th Street.[1] The park is owned and operated by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.[2]

Gas tanks

Built between 1910 and 1921, the gas tanks were built to hold gas. Until the 1960s, the gas tanks had been maintained by an inspector using a rowboat. Due to the increasing prevalence of much more compact gas cylinders, Brooklyn Union Gas began dismantling the gas tanks in 1996.[1]

Because the Long Island Expressway frequently became congested in that area, "backup at the Elmhurst Gas Tanks" became a familiar phrase in radio traffic reporting. Having been literal rather than legal landmarks, the two huge gas holders were completely removed by 2001.[3] [4]

Park

Construction on the $20 million park, spearheaded by former Mayor Michael Bloomberg, started in 2007.[5] On May 24, 2011, the Elmhurst Park was opened on the former site of the gas tanks.[2] The park contained state-of-the-art facilities including benches, lighting, lawns, and jogging paths, in addition to a playground and more than 620 trees.[2] [6] The 6acres park's bathrooms were delayed greatly, however. Having opened in September 2012,[7] [8] the restroom facilities were stylish and spacious, although highly controversial; they drew wide criticism due to their $2.3 million cost.[9]

The Queens Vietnam Veterans Memorial, a $2.85 million memorial to Vietnam War veterans, at the northeastern corner of Elmhurst Park, was announced in June 2017.[10] Although planning and fundraising started in the mid-2000s, construction started in December 2018.[11] [12] The memorial was dedicated the following December.[13] [14] The semicircular memorial features the names of 371 Queens residents who died while fighting in the war.[15]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: A Large Something Seems to Be Missing . Kershaw, Sarah . . September 1, 1996 . December 12, 2013.
  2. Web site: Elmhurst Park : NYC Parks . Nycgovparks.org . May 24, 2011 . December 12, 2013.
  3. News: Memory-Filled Tanks; Queens Loses 2 Roadside Landmarks . Hevesi, Dennis . . September 20, 1993 . March 24, 2008 . "The Elmhurst tanks — those 200-foot monoliths that stood sentinel to the changing landscape of Queens and as harbingers of hair-tearing delay on the highway to Manhattan — are down, deflated forever, their skeletal remains waiting to be dismantled.".
  4. Web site: Elmhurst gas tanks . . June 4, 2007 . "But when the beloved landmarks weren’t really doing the business anymore they came down in 1996 and by 2001 there was almost no trace of the tanks that once supplied business and homes across the city." . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070608101457/http://queenstribune.com/guides/2006_Queens100/OurPast/index.htm . June 8, 2007 .
  5. Web site: NYC.gov . NYC.gov . August 2, 2014.
  6. Web site: Katy . Osborne . Destination Playground: Elmhurst Park in Queens - Brand-new Gas Tank Park in East Elmhurst Queens | Mommy Poppins - Things to Do in NYC with Kids . Mommy Poppins . August 1, 2011 . August 2, 2014.
  7. Web site: Exploring Elmhurst Park, Six Acres And a $2.3 Million Bathroom - Camera Obscura - Curbed NY . Ny.curbed.com . October 4, 2012 . August 2, 2014.
  8. Web site: New $2.3 million Elmhurst Park bathrooms have lots of style and room . NY Daily News . September 26, 2012 . Colangelo . Lisa L. . August 2, 2014.
  9. Web site: After two years and $2.3 million, Queens park still awaits public toilet . NY Daily News . February 17, 2012 . Parziale . Joe . August 2, 2014.
  10. Web site: Elmhurst Park Vietnam memorial design unveiled . Queens Chronicle . June 12, 2017 . Barca . Christopher . December 4, 2018.
  11. Web site: Brand . David . Vietnam Veterans Memorial Finally Breaks Ground in Elmhurst Park . Queens Daily Eagle . November 28, 2018 . December 4, 2018.
  12. Web site: New Queens Vietnam Veterans Memorial at Elmhurst Park is a long time in coming . December 3, 2018 . Hallum . Mark . TimesLedger . December 4, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181203203108/https://www.timesledger.com/stories/2018/49/vietnammemorial_2018_12_07_q.html . December 3, 2018 . dead .
  13. Web site: 'They remain ageless in our minds': vet. Russell. David. December 26, 2019. Queens Chronicle. 2019-12-29.
  14. Web site: Queens' first Vietnam War Memorial finally opens in Elmhurst. Brand. David. December 27, 2019. Queens Daily Eagle. en-US. 2019-12-29.
  15. Web site: 'Dignified tribute' to Vietnam vets coming to Queens park . am New York . November 30, 2018 . Colangelo . Lisa L. . December 4, 2018.

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