Support for a Linear Park in Jackson Heights

Since the launch of our petition in May 2021, more than 2,500 people have signed on in support of a permanent park on 34th Avenue in Jackson Heights, home to one of the city's most successful Open Streets. The potential for new, permanent greenspace in Jackson Heights has activated the imagination of our neighbors and fellow open space advocates and energized a discussion about environmental equity. A selection of comments submitted to us through the petition are shared below.

Some comments were edited for length.

Just as Travers Park has become a focal place for the neighborhood, so has 34th Avenue brought residents, visitors, and those who work in the area together. As we look to the future, innovative infrastructural and design changes are needed to sustain and improve upon the success of the all-volunteer Open Streets program.

We are a community of both great diversity and immense disparity. As we grapple with a public health emergency like none other in recent history, existing inequities are all the more pronounced. Good open spaces are one just component to achieving a more equitable city through access and safe streets for all, from schoolchildren to seniors.

Uniquely, unlike many of the city's Open Streets, 34th Avenue is entirely residential. The Jackson Heights community has made the 34th Avenue Open Street its very own with personal touches ranging from gardens to activity spaces for all ages. But there's still work to be done to meet the gap in open space: JH still ranks among the lowest in per capita green space.

For every user of our current Open Street, there is a different vision for what permanent green space in Jackson Heights could look like. We strongly believe that the City should adopt an approach to reimagining 34th Avenue that builds upon the work and successes of the community, which has helped to harness the potential in these 26 blocks.

I use this almost every day for play, exercise, commute. I have a car but am more than happy to give up a little parking for this amazing community asset that everyone can share.

I used to live on 74 St and 32 Ave, I know this project will benefit so many families and friends that live around. The neighborhood needs more parks an green areas for walking and exercise without the danger of cars constantly passing around. Thank you for this initiative!

The 34th Street promenade is an incredible improvement to the Jackson Heights neighborhood. With so little existing dedicated green space in the neighborhood, 34th Ave for pedestrians opens up the whole neighborhood in a important community-building way.

34th Street has been such a wonderful pedestrian space, sorely needed in our neighborhood! I support making it permanent and safe. I would also love if we could find some space for our (many) neighborhood dogs to run off leash!

34th Ave’s closure has created a community hub that gives me enormous pride as a Jackson Heights resident and allows me to feel even more connected and enmeshed in our vibrant community.

Seria genial tener un parque en 34av. La calle abierta está ayudando a mi hija a salir de su depresión... Ella es muy tímida y se pone nerviosa con la multitud o al interactuar con la gente pero ahora ella poco a poco esta logrando salir de su burbuja. Por favor apoyen este proyecto será muy beneficioso para la comunidad.

Apoyo la idea de generar más espacios recreativos y verdes... esto nos ayuda también a reducir el CO2, fomentar espacios más adaptados al peatón, espacios recreativos y de interacción para los niños y las escuelas ubicadas en nuestro sector, también inventiva a las personas a mantenerse activas físicamente, entre otros beneficios más.

34th Avenue is a Godsend! Please keep it open and extend it through Corona. Every single resident in my building on 34th Avenue (over 150 people) uses the avenue.

I am a teacher in Jackson Heights... Many of my students benefit from the Open Streets program. The creation of the linear park would improve the mental, physical, emotional, and social health of my students, who currently have access to less green space than almost anyone else in NYC. This is an imperative... if we want to build an equitable future for all of our children.

This Open Street saved my mental and physical health during this past year. Seeing people coming together on it, enjoying the fresh air and the proximiity to trees has been a delight... Please turn 34th avenue into a haven where we can be in greater contact with nature and other human beings, not shut up in cars and careless of the fact that people deserve access to public spaces.

34th Ave being made accessible for pedestrians, cyclists, and runners has been an amazing experience, especially during the pandemic, which necessitated staying at home or close to home... We need more space to walk and play, and having this expanded park space would significantly continue to improve quality of life for residents in this community!

Please -- open air, less traffic, more fun, more community, more peace, more joy in The City. The sunflowers and other plantings on the avenue seem like a harbinger of good things to come. Open bike path to Flushing Meadows Park. Growth. Lovely.

I’m a big supporter of the Open Street. It’s been so wonderful for our community. My daughter loves it; she can ride her bike or skateboard safely and meet up with friends. There have been so many wonderful programs for people of all ages. The Open Street adds much-needed parkland to our community, which otherwise has so little of it. Please make our street permanent!

In such a densely populated neighborhood we need this to happen. Everyday loads of people use it to get fresh air and exercise. I use it to ride bike with my kids and know they are safe.

For every generation (including this 64-year-old), greenspace is a much-needed amenity in Jackson Heights, currently available only to those in garden buildings.

Sería muy bueno tener más zonas de diversion.

I walk there everyday, wish there was more park space and love love love seeing our neighborhood convene and enjoy outdoor spaces together.

Yo estoy de acuerdo que se mantenga la 34ave cerrada, porque antes había muchos choques y ahora es un excelente ave para que compartan todas las familias y niños que se sienten más seguros, espero que se mantenga cerrada.

I grew up in Jackson Heights before the renovation of Travers Park and there was a serious lack of public green space for the community. This is such a critical requirement for children to have when growing up, pandemic or not, especially in such a family-oriented neighborhood such as Jackson Heights.

This will transform our neighborhood! Would love the addition of local foodcarts, a stage for local performances and movie night, a dog run, basketball courts, soccer field. Green space!!!!!

Whenever I head east from Woodside with my son on my bike, 34th Ave is the only option because it's the only place where I feel completely safe with him on my bike. I live close by... and 34th has been my main route east, especially when riding with my three year old, because it's so calm and safe. And it's a great way to get to playgrounds, the library, farmers market and more.

The daytime closing of 34th ave has made one of the most dangerous spaces for pedestrians and especially children into a real asset for the neighborhood. Converting it into a city park is the best way to ensure that this incredible win for the neighborhood becomes permanent.

This has been such a wonderful space to have during the pandemic. It’s given us an additional space to decompress, breathe fresh air, especially as a new mom during the pandemic! It was a great mental health equalizer.

I dream of a linear park, with a nice 2-way bike path and a separate area for walking, playing. Each block will probably need its own treatment, as every block is different from the next, but it could be so wonderful. I hope city leaders help us realize this vision.