How a 1.3-mile stretch of street became a much-needed park space in Queens, New York

GRIST—“What started out as a necessity during the pandemic has really evolved into an incredible place that brings people together.”

During the COVID lockdowns of 2020, people in cities all over the world were desperate to get outside. As everything slowed down, residents and city governments organized to block off sections of some streets to cars, instead giving them over to pedestrians and leisure activities — a global phenomenon of “open,” “slow,” or “shared” streets, depending on the local parlance.

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“Jackson Heights ranks last in per capita park space in all of New York City,” said Dawn Siff, executive director of the Alliance for Paseo Park, a community-led nonprofit organization that emerged to advocate for the 34th Avenue park. “There’s nowhere for your children to learn to ride bikes,” she said. “My children and my nieces attended, and still attend, two of the seven public schools that are basically right up and down 34th Avenue — and they don’t have room for recess.”

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