Green market gets green light at CB 6

Cathy Chambers of Grow NYC said the market has been a long time coming for Forest Hills, with more than 200 letters, hundreds of emails, and more than 400 petition signatures sent to her in the last four years to get the project off the ground.

Grow NYC is a nonprofit organization known for bringing fresh produce to a variety of locations across New York City.

“We’ve heard your requests and we’re excited about bringing fresh local produce to Forest Hills,” Chambers said.

Joseph Hennessy, chairman of CB 6, thanked his board and supporters afterward.

“It’ll be a fun atmosphere for the community to get out there and get their fresh veggies this summer,” Hennessy said.

The market is set to open every Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m, and will have a wide array of fruits, vegetables and green products from vendors in the metropolitan area and surrounding regions.

In other board business, Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz (D-Forest Hills) assailed a petition that has been circulating with the aim of reviving the old Rockaway railroad line, which would connect Far Rockaway, South Ozone Park, and other parts of southern Queens to different parts of the city, by way of Forest Hills.

“We will protest, even if I have to lie down,” Koslowitz said. “We don’t want this in our community.”

While she agrees that southern Queens does need better transportation, she’s actively fighting the proposal because it would affect the properties of many Forest Hills residents.

The Long Island Rail Road has stations in Forest Hills and Kew Gardens, and many residents have complained about the train horns.

Adding another line would be too much of a burden, according to Koslowitz.

“The Rockaways need transportation, but not on our backs. We don’t need another train running through that doesn’t service our area,” she said to a round of applause from the audience.

The councilwoman also discussed restoring funding for the local Beacon after-school program at JHS 190 on Austin Street.

The program, which is one of two Queens Beacons targeted for elimination in Mayor Bloomberg’s budget proposal, costs about $340,000, and provides after-school programs for help with schoolwork as well as instruction and participation in the arts, sports and other activities.

That and the Beacon program at MS 158 in Bayside were selected by ZIP code for elimination as their areas have many wealthy residents. But the two programs combined serve thousands of low-income children and their families.

The City Council has the authority to restore funding in the fiscal year 2013 budget, as it has done in recent years with things like fire companies and senior citizen centers that have been selected for cuts or elimination.

CB 6 also voted for a variance for the construction of a proposed four-story medical facility, with both residential and office units, on 65th Road and 102nd Street, across from Forest Hills Hospital.