November, 2004 - Proposal to establish a greenway on the Rockaway Beach Branch right-of-way presented to Community Board 9

December, 2004 - CB 9 passes resolution in support of a greenway.

January, 2005 - New York Times article (1/2/05); NY1 TV interview (1/7/05); proposal presented to Community Board 6; Newcomers High School students begin participation in effort and it becomes a New York Newsday FutureCorps project; Ridgewood Times article (1/20/05); New York Newsday article (1/28/05)

February, 2005 - Newcomers HS students meet with Sen. Hillary Clinton and Cong. Peter King to present proposal and receive encouragement; Newsday article about meeting (2/28/05)

March, 2005 - Newcomers students meet with Noah Budnick, Director of Projects, Transportation Alternatives; Newcomers HS awarded grants from Newsday and Learn and Serve America for student participation in greenway project; Forest Hills Crescents Civic Association endorses greenway proposal

April, 2005 - Article in Queens Chronicle (4/14/05); Rails to Trails Conservancy takes interest in proposal and sends Northeast Regional Director to CB9 transportation committee meeting (4/18/05); Forest Hills Ledger article (4/21/05); proposal receives endorsement of Greater Woodhaven Development Corp., Woodhaven BID and Woodhaven Residents Block Assn.

May, 2005 - Daily News article (5/1/05) (see Current Events, below)

CURRENT EVENTS



On April 18, Tom Sexton, Northeast Regional Director of Rails to Trails Conservancy gave a presentation at the CB9 transportation committee meeting. He demonstrated how establishing greenways on abandoned railways increases property values, enhances quality of life and creates jobs in surrounding communities. After having visited the Rockaway Beach Branch right of way he explained that it would make a fine greenway site and offered the assistance of his organization.

Join us May 14 or May 28 for a bike tour of the Rockaway Beach Branch right of way. See Calendar of Events page for details.

Look for the article about our greenway proposal by Oren Yaniv in the May 1 Sunday NY Daily News Queens section. You can go to oyaniv@nydailynews.com, click on Boroughs and look for article entitled "Face-lift's on track."