Metro
Hundreds of newly planted trees were uprooted by vandals in a Queens park to clear green space for a DIY dirt bike track, with angry locals calling authorities “very selfish.” They are calling for the police to track down the biker.
Approximately 300 shrubs and saplings planted by volunteers last year near the velodrome were reported uprooted April 7 at Kissena Park in Flushing, the Park Service said.
“I'm angry because I love this park. I've lived here for years. It's for the public, so it's very selfish. They only care about their own pleasure. ,” Jane, a Flushing substitute teacher who declined to give her last name, told the Post.
The teacher, who has lived in the neighborhood for 20 years, said she was worried that reckless off-road bikers could harm her dog, which she regularly walks in the park.
“It can be dangerous for them to ride dirt bikes here. They usually ride fast. They might run over my dog,” she added.
Photos of the destruction, which will cost the city about $15,000 to repair, show overturned dirt near the road filled with deep tire tracks. Broken tree branches and plant roots are scattered on the path where the off-road bike appears to have traveled.
The vandals dug up recently planted trees and cut down some of the other more mature trees as part of a massive reforestation effort across 5,000 square feet of the park, authorities said.
Parks Director Sue Donahue said in a statement that the city's Parks Department is working with the NYPD on the criminal investigation.
“Trees are so important to our city. They not only beautify our neighborhoods, but they also help purify the air, provide much-needed shade, and absorb rainwater. That's why someone would do something like this. I can't imagine doing that,” Donahue said.
Govind Singh Negi, 55, a former taxi driver who walks through the park every day, was also angry at the destruction and accused it of being selfish.
“They only think about themselves. They don't think about the people. They are selfish. They should think about the benefits that parks bring to the public and children…” he said. he told the Post.
Shin Negi said he has lived in the neighborhood for 20 years and teaches his two sons martial arts at the park.
“I live around here. I come here every morning. I sit in the car and look, I walk…I don't like this, it's what they did,” he said. said. “It's just sad to see what happened. People come here to get fresh air. They come here to enjoy nature and have fun.”
The former taxi driver said he hopes authorities identify the vandals who caused the destruction and give them maximum punishment.
“We should catch them, put them in jail and punish them to the extent the law allows. They have to take that step,” he said.
Another local resident, Sid, agreed that the vandals were likely only thinking about themselves, but hoped they had learned their lesson.
“I hope someone gets the message that it's the wrong thing to do. I'm sure they're young people, not old people. They may not be thinking about how people will feel about it. It's all about themselves. I hope that's a lesson they learn from seeing the community's reaction.”
Sid, who often comes to the park to exercise with his wife, was horrified by the environmental impact of the destruction.
“From an environmental perspective, especially when we have issues like global warming, taking out the three is the wrong thing to do,” he said.
He added: “If we find out who did it, we should give them community service and bring them back. That would be great.”
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