Garden City Park, the forgotten town as Eric Rudd calls it. He wants to change that.
Rudd, former president of the Garden City Park Civic Association, revealed to the New Hyde Park Illustrated News that he, along with three former civic members would form their own group.
Dubbed “Residents for a More Beautiful Garden City Park,” Rudd feels GCP is the “forgotten town” and the declining ranks of the current civic group are a testament to that. Rudd, who runs Long Island Park Lacrosse, affirmed that he, along with past GCP civic vice president Jack Zimbler and Pamela Naso are currently seeking members.
“We want our town to have a voice again,” he said. “Quality of life, community pride and more. We need pride to come back to Garden City Park.”
New York State certified the not-for-profit group, according to Rudd, who thinks the 2,400 resident community of GCP must be served well. The GCP civic at one point boasted 300 members, but has since dropped.
“We’re not saying ‘it’s not beautiful,’” said Rudd. “We’re saying it needs more representation. We have no members right now, but that will change. I’m tired of going to King Kullen and people asking ‘what’s going on with the civic?’ We started the corporation, they approved and now we’re ready to go.”
Zimbler lived in Queens before moving to Garden City Park and he admitted the quality of life started to wane in his new hometown.
“Let’s face it, that’s why I came to Garden City Park, a better quality of life,” Zimbler said. “It’s not a good thing when what was considered the promise land in comparison to New York City starts to suffer.”
He hammered home the fact that GCP needs representation and wants to “help residents who are not informed about the community.”
“We are Garden City Parkers,” Zimbler stated. “It’s about making sure that when you look out your windows, you see some kind of beauty.
When you don’t live in an incorporated village, the civic meeting is your town hall. That’s the place a resident has to go to hear out a
complaint in their area.”
Paul Noetzel of the GCP Civic, called Zimber and Rudd “go-getters” and “very passionate” about what they do as community activists.
“As it’s been so far, interest [in civics] has been waning,” he said. “The meetings have been geetting smaller and smaller. Maybe them starting up a new one will spark interest with the residents again.”
Noetzel worked with the duo at the GCP civic. “Jack is a really good guy. He gets very excited. He’s got a good heart.”
“We want to get the residents involved again,” Zimbler said. “Call 311, call if something is going on that upsets you.”
Any questions about the new civic? Call 516-813-7770 or email info@311site.com
