Little Bay Park to Get Upgrade

Little Bay Park will be one of 17 Queens parks that will receive upgrades and plantings on April 21 as part of a citywide initiative to revitalize green spaces across the five boroughs.

New York Cares, a citywide organization that operates volunteer programs for more than 1,200 nonprofits, is currently seeking 2,000 additional volunteers to take part in the revitalization project, during which attendees spruce up parks, gardens and playgrounds.

Little Bay Park, a natural beach on the west side of Fort Totten’s peninsula that borders Little Neck, is among the 17 Queens sites to get an upgrade.

“While we’re not directly involved, we’re delighted they’re having this event to clean up our local parks,” said Walter Mugdan, president of the Preservation Committee. “People who ride their bicycles or go rollerblading along Joe Michael’s Mile end up at Little Bay Park. I go through that loop when I go for a ride.”

The preservation committee is holding its own cleanup on April 28 at Udalls Cove. At that time, the group will remove plastic and other trash from the northeast Queens shore during low tide.

On April 22, a local boy scout group will join the committee to remove old trees and other debris from a corner of Alley Pond Park known as Old Oak Pond.

The Bayside Anglers will host a Little Neck Bay shore cleanup on April 22 at 9 a.m. and is offering a .

New York Cares will also perform upgrades at other Queens parks, such as Cunningham Park, Kissena Park, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Astoria Park, Forest Park and Jamaica Bay Park.

Those interested in taking part in the event, which will run from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., can register until April 20 at New York Cares Day’s website. Participants must be at least 12 years of age.

The registration fee is $20 per person.

“Parks are New Yorkers’ backyards and the perfect place to start your spring cleaning,” city Department of Parks and Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe said. “We are grateful to all of the citizen volunteers whose generous donations of time and labor will improve their neighborhood parks and open spaces.”