Like all of Great Neck, I was saddened by the discovery of a swastika in the gazebo in the Grace Avenue Park. It’s a startling reminder that ignorance and hatred still exist.
Fortunately, diversity is one of our community’s greatest strengths, and I am not worried about myself or my family being future victims of anti-Semitism or any other hateful actions here in Great Neck Plaza.
However, there is a much more dangerous, yet mundane, threat to my two young children and every other Great Neck resident who visits the Grace Avenue park.
I live directly across from the main entrance to the park, and each day I see people of every age, race, religion, and ethnic background risk their lives trying to cross Grace Avenue or Park Place to enter or exit the park. Pedestrians have the right-of-way, yet the faded paint on each of the crosswalks leading to the main (southwest) entrance to the park have rendered them useless. The two lit “Pedestrian Crossing” signs above Grace Avenue are nearly invisible among the trees, even at the posted 30 MPH speed limit, which we all know very few drivers obey.
Drivers on Park Place turning east onto Grace Avenue try to enter the smallest gaps between cars, and often never see the pedestrians whose lives they come within seconds of robbing. I was home for a few days last week following the birth of our second child, and heard car accidents on consecutive days that resulted in significant damage and in one case, a driver taken away by ambulance.
Imagine if that person had only the frame of a stroller to cushion the impact, instead of the frame of a car.
I’ve read spirited attacks and vigorous defenses of our village’s elected officials in this newspaper, so I’m sure that the honorable Mayor Jean Celender and the board of trustees will welcome the opportunity to prove the naysayers wrong and demonstrate their commitment to the safety and quality of life for our residents.
I’ve been told by several village employees that Grace Avenue is a county road, and that the Village of Great Neck Plaza has no authority to make any safety improvements.
They advised I needed to register my complaint with the Department of Public Works, which led to a disheartening adventure in disconnected numbers and unreturned messages.
Rather than continue to try to navigate the bureaucracy of our county government on my own, I am calling on the Great Neck Plaza Board of Trustees to take accountability for ensuring our safety.
Do whatever it takes to make it safe to cross the street and enjoy the park. Paint the crosswalks. Put up those yellow “Yield to Pedestrians” signs or orange construction barrels which drivers will notice.
If they get knocked over (or damaged, as was claimed when I first made the suggestion), then put up more. If those don’t work, hire a crossing guard. And if there’s no budget to hire a crossing guard, then have village employees and trustees work the shifts themselves!
Just do something to make it safe for us to bring our children to the park.
Matt Ruzz
Great Neck
