Senator Gianaris and PS 78 Student Council Work to Restore and Re-Beautify Shady Park after Hurricane Sandy

(Long Island City, NY) Senator Michael Gianaris vowed to continue working with the PS 78 Student Council students to repair, restore, and re-beautify Shady Park, also known as Andrews Grove, after the devastation of Hurricane Sandy. In a letter to the Student Council, Senator Gianaris thanked the students for their ongoing participation in the restoration efforts regarding the park and assured students that repairing the park is a top priority.

“Shady Park is a gem in our community and beloved by neighborhood children, who were given a voice by the PS 78 Student Council. We cannot let Hurricane Sandy rob our neighborhood of this beautiful park in an area in need of more outdoor places for children and adults alike to enjoy,” said Senator Gianaris.

Shady Park in Long Island City, also known as Andrews Grove, was terribly damaged by Hurricane Sandy. The superstorm destroyed most of the park’s trees and left it almost completely barren. Immediately following Hurricane Sandy Senator Gianaris visited PS 78, at which point the school’s Student Council expressed their concerns regarding the park. Last month Senator Gianaris wrote to the New York City Parks Department in support of the newly formed Friends of Shady Park, whose purpose is to restore the park through tree-planting and overall re-beautification efforts.

Senator Gianaris was particularly moved by letters written by the PS 78 Student Council explaining why the park is so important to them and describing the extent of the destruction caused by the storm, selected quotes from which follow below.

“We feel it [Shady Park] is a big part of our heart and community.” Chacko Mathai, 5^th Grade

“I also want to ask you if you if you can try to plant new trees in Shady Park so we do not have to call it ‘Sunny Park’.” Ava Vigliotti, 4^th Grade

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