596 Acres 2017 Impact Report 2017 Annual Report | Page 7

Reckowacky Park & Community Garden Community’s Dreams One Step Closer to Reality! 596 Acres became involved in the campaign to create a garden in Far Rockaway when long-time local resident and backyard gardener Allison got in touch. She and her neighbors sought a place they could garden together and share the bounty. Allison was particularly concerned about the lack of healthy food options available in local stores. “The preservation of land to farm in the lower Rockaways is imperative for the proper sustainability of the people.” - Allison Jeffrey, Far Rockaway Allison had been trying for a long time to transform an abandoned city-owned lot on her corner into a community space that could fill these needs, and found out about the service we provide: bridging the gap between the public and their ability to make decisions about public land in their lives, especially when it’s been neglected by the City. We helped the group flesh out their plans for the space. When it became apparent that the city intended to sell this lot for private development, we helped make sure that the community’s voices were heard and their needs were listened to as the city launched its Downtown Far Rockaway Redevelopment plan. We advised and supported the neighbors as they submitted over 250 comments asking the city to keep the lot public, rather than selling the lot to a private developer as part of the Redevelopment Plan. We guided, advised, and testified alongside the residents as they appeared and offered testimony at the Community Board’s hearing, the Queens Borough President’s (BP’s) Public Land Use Hearing, and all the way to City Council. In September 2017, the City Council’s Land Use Committee honored the neighbors’ request that this lot not be sold to a developer. With the land no longer under threat of being sold, the neighbors are leading the design of the future community green space, with our support.