Residents from throughout the community congregate to play free bocce games in Juniper Valley Park during the summer
As the summer rolls on, Juniper Valley Park has many events and activities – both formal and socially organized – for the neighborhood to enjoy.
Among the organized events are the Juniper Park Civic Association’s Summer Concert Series, which include a Woodstock Night on July 16 performed by the band “After Dark,” the group “Boston Buglars” will be hosting a 1950’s night on July 23, and the band “Generations” will be rocking out at a Classic Rock Night on July 30. The events are co-sponsored by Crifasi Real Estate, Juniper Valley Park Conservancy, UNICO Queens, and Barosa’s Restaurant. All attendees are asked to bring their own lawn chair.
Several organized sports teams that practice and play games at Juniper are currently holding tryouts including, Blau Weiss Gottschee Soccer and Inn Softball League. Blau Weiss is looking for boys and girls for its intramural and travel team programs. Inn Softball is looking for men for its six- to 12-foot arc league. For more information about the soccer league, call (718) 268-3713 or visit www.bwgottschee.org. To contact the Inn Softball League, call (917) 680-8472 or (917) 686-4040 or visit www.foulpoles.com.
Outside organized events, voluntary activities are common at Juniper.
Dog owners from the community come to the park early almost every morning. In the area dogs allowed to play, which is in the central path between the southern playground and the baseball fields, it’s not uncommon to see anywhere from a dozen to two dozen dogs in the early morning hours.
For children who need a break from the summer heat, the park has two sprinkler systems.
One of those dog owners, Middle Village resident Kathy Brooks, said she and her family “love the concerts in the park.
“There are so many more people coming to them,” continued Brooks, who had one piece of advice on how to make the park better – a dog sprinkler.
“It gets so hot some days; I just wish there was some kind of sprinklers the dogs could go in,” she said.
Fellow dog owner and neighborhood resident Pauline Bustch agreed and added that “there’s a real sense of community here.”
She stated how she switched from Forest Park to Juniper because “the people here are much nicer, more personal. They’ll smile at you when you’re passing by. You feel that sense of community that in many other areas you feel is lost.”
Dog owners are encouraged to join the group.
For many of the older residents, the shuffleboard and bocce are more their speed – especially for the community’s many Italian-American seniors, dozens of whom are at the bocce court everyday.
There’s also a good amount of shared space between leagues and unaffiliated groups when it comes to sports. There’s available space for hockey, baseball, track, basketball, tennis, and soccer.
For parents with young children, Juniper has two sprinkler systems, one on both the north and south side playgrounds. For the intensely hot days where keeping children cooped up in front of the air-conditioning can create cabin fever.
Outside the usual recreational activities, many are flocking to Juniper Valley for the good weather and friendly demeanor.
Shondie Wilson, who doesn’t live in the area but commutes here to practice music with her band stated, “I love how active the park is, it’s cool, you have people playing soccer and tennis. It’s just really great.”
Wilson is not alone. Many people flock from other neighborhoods to sunbath, have picnics, and have an early-morning or after-dinner jog.
Whether it be through a formal organization like Juniper Park Civic or a sports league or friends just gathering for a game of soccer, Juniper Valley Park has a something for everyone.
Story and Photos by Ryan James Girdusky
