More than 90 people crowded into the community room at the Dorchester Apartments for the monthly meeting of the Lindenwood Alliance on Monday night. “We were concerned with having moved the meeting location and the fact that it was raining heavily,” said founder Joann Ariola, “but obviously these people are very committed to seeing the positive change in their community continue.”
And as the group approaches their second anniversary, there is no disputing the fact that they have helped to bring about many changes in the community of Lindenwood, repeatedly addressing quality of life problems by working closely with the 106th Precinct. The Alliance has raised awareness and worked closely with police, community residents, business owners and elected officials in order to remedy situations involving auto vandalism, graffiti and traffic problems. Presently, they are engaged in the improvement of traffic situations in the community which are considered extremely dangerous, especially to the most vulnerable sector of the population, children and seniors.
“We have to do something about the situation at the triangle, “explained Ellen Bonapastore, Vice-President of the Dorchester Co-Op Board, “because it is inevitable that someone is going to be killed.”
The area of immediate concern was pinpointed as the triangle at 88th street and 151st Avenue where the issue is crossing the long stretch from one side of 151st Avenue to the other. Cars continue to whip past without slowing down.
One failed solution implemented in the recent past at the triangle was a reflector pole installed with hopes to slow drivers down. “Here is picture of the sign now,” Bonapastore told The Forum. A photograph in her outstretched hand revealed a twisted mass of metal that once stood in place as a proposed traffic slowing device. “A person standing where this sign was would be dead.”
Claudia Filomena of the mayor’s Community Assistance Unit was on hand to detail proposed remedies. The area will be studied to determine the feasibility of any number of curative measures, including the installation of a curb, a stop sign, speed bump or any number of other devices used in the Department of Transportation’s Slow Zone program. The area does not qualify for a light.
An additional area of concern introduced at the meeting is 149th avenue which residents pointed out runs from the conduit to 78th street without one stop sign in place. The consistent overflowing of catch basins along the same avenue was also brought up.
In addition to traffic problems and parking and safety concerns at nearby P.S. 232, the Alliance hosted a Candidate’s Night for state Senate candidates Joe Addabbo and Eric Ulrich. Ulrich presented the members with some updates of things he has been doing in the community in his current role as councilman and then spoke on some of his positions with regard to the approaching election. He said that he was extremely thankful to the community for their overwhelming support in his last race and would be honored to have the support of the Lindenwood community in the up and coming senate race. Senator Addabbo’s office notified the Alliance that he would be unable to attend due to another commitment.
The Lindenwood Alliance meets regularly on the second Monday of every month. For information call 516-498-752.
By Patricia Adams
