Wow! Italian people! -- I thought they (we) were all in Staten Island now, it seems as though we…read moreare like an endangered species of ethnicity in Queens and Brooklyn -- how times have changed. Starting with a rant here --- but if you boast and brag any bit about your charitable contributions, it cheapens what the kindness in your heart intended, it cheapens you. Conversly, if you happen to find yourself on the the opposite side of the spectrum, you are special and there is a very nice place for you above when your time comes -- with hope, many moons from now -- for us all. I was raised to be charitable with my time and money, "serving your fellow man is important" they would say.. -- Rant complete. The Italian Charities of America's mission: A human services organization providing services, activities and programs for the benefit of the community. A friend of mine told me she rents a table for the flea market and has been asking me to stop by. For a $25.00 fee, they peddle their wares -- forty to fifty tables full of new and used unique goods, lit by a stunningly beautiful chandelier adorned by four smaller satellite illuminators. The second floor room is beautiful! Classic Italian stately design, form meets function, with thick framed paintings of our pioneering people past, adorning the marble walls with golden sconce highlights. Handbags, leathers, costume jewelry clothing and household items may appeal more to the female persuasion, guys, y'all gotta go check it out anyway -- with your ladies, your buddies or alone, if your single and in the market, you might meet a nice Italian girl. Speaking of which, I met one of the finest woman at the great of the room fronting the Christopher Columbus painting. Marie is the Italian Charities publicist and with her Ad Hoc team, coordinate and promote monthly events from dances to dinners, unfortunately the Easter Italian Dinner was sold out because I had a fist full of greenbacks in hand ready to plunk it down for tickets to attend. It's quite common for Italian people to talk about where their family is from back in the old country. She and her family are Barese, my family being Genoa -- we kick butt in ship building and stuffed ravioli. Thankfully Marie and her committee are hard at work creating new events, so check the website for details -- I know I'll be in attendance for their next Pasta Dinner Evening, maybe I'll see you there.

Pre-COVID: A friend of mine was showcasing her photography here during a flea market so I decided…read moreto stop in and keep her company for a bit. The building has crystal chandeliers, Italian tchotchkes in glass cases, some articles and other bits of history. There's an elevator to the upstairs banquet hall if you can't use the small staircase, and this was where the flea market was. It mainly seemed to be people selling things they no longer wanted, costume jewelry, books, glassware, clothes - one lady did manage to find a stunning fur coat. They apparently hold Saturday night dances, I saw a flyer for one advertising Latin & Italian oldies, classics, and Top 40 from 8pm-12am with food, coffee, tea, dessert, and alcohol. I would love to see the crowd that comes out for that! This is a community center, so you can rent space or give money to various fundraisers they hold, all in all it's a great local resource.

A lot of alien activity it was cool but I saw men in black suits walking by I took a photo with my…read morethermal camera

Wow - the other 2 posts are just odd. From the people I know from butch - femme - there are very…read morefew mullets. and what is wrong with middle aged and elder butches? Are you supposed to just disappear after 40? I agree with the poster who said "Butch Femme Society is one of the best social, cultural, and supportive groups out there" Friendly people who are committed to providing social opportunities and support to people who id as butch or femme.

The center somehow obtained my name and number and has been repeatedly cold contacting me. They…read morehave no business having and using my personal information, as I've never given it to them. It's wildly inappropriate that their representative (Shiza) has continued to reach out to me unsolicited without telling me how they obtained my name and number.

I went to this place for volunteered work about 4 years ago. This is an nonprofit community center,…read morewhich helps immigrants(low-income, English limited proficiency) with various things like healthcare, voting, and other social services( predominantly Korean immigrants). All the staffs are very friendly and helpful. Please visit them for any immigration social services related difficulties. :)

Came here with a friend who was interested in checking out the Olympic Powerlifting team. I don't…read moreknow much about it, but she joined and I think she's enjoying it! I decided not to join because of the price and distance. Anyways, this review is for the weight room... if you could even call it that. Seriously, my tiny high school had a bigger and better weight room. I go to Asser Levy Recreation, so I guess I'm spoiled with a pretty nice gym considering the price. The weight room is a tiny little cage (literally, it is fenced in) in the basement, with one tiny mirror. Very limited machines, small range of dumbbell weights, no space to do any barbell exercises (deadlifts, squats, lunges....). There's a smith machine and one incline bench set-up. Just a disaster really. The cardio room had a decent amount of machines so that was nice. I guess I gave an extra star because it's cool that there's an olympic powerlifting team, and the place is cheap, and the basketball courts looked nice.

I was pretty bummed out when I learned that this was the closest rec center to me. The weight room…read moreis separated from the rest of the basement area by walls constructed of wood and chicken wire. The cardio room is a long rectangle with machines down each side which are awkwardly placed. I didn't feel like this place was maximizing it's use of space. Also, the first treadmill I hopped on was broken. Seriously, only 3 of the buttons worked. In addition there are no locker rooms. Rather, there is one small row of lockers, many of which didn't appear to work, which are placed outside the restrooms. The only plus of this place is it's cost. $75 for a 6 month membership and $150 for a year's membership.

If you are a New York City resident, this is a great place to get in shape and exercise for very…read morereasonable prices. There is a basketball gym, indoor track above the gym, table tennis, racquetball courts, gym equipment and computers. There is also an ice skating rink and Olympic sized pool. Staff are kind and helpful. Many programs and scheduled activities. I will be 62 in January and all access will be $25/year. For younger members Gym plus pool $150 for the year. There is plenty of parking. Opens at 6am. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

This Rec Center in Flushing is OKAY for the price and location. I like that the price of $150/year…read moreis not too bad. If you're between the ages of 18-24, you pay only $25/year which is a great deal. I paid $75 for 6 months, and that gives me access to both this Rec Center and the Aquatic Center in Flushing Meadows Park, as well as, any affiliated Rec Center in the 5 boroughs. Plenty of parking available on the street, or you have the option of parking in their lot but there's limited spaces there. And underneath the highway, there's parking available there as well. Inside, once you scan in at the front desk, there's 3 rooms: cardio, free weights and multi-purpose machines. Down the center hall, there's 2 well maintained racquetball courts, and past that is a children's play room and the main gymnasium for basketball and ping pong, as well as, an indoor track. Their racquetball courts cost $7/hour, and the price includes a ball and racket. However, they don't accept cash strangely enough, only credit/debit and check. All 3 rooms are have pretty much the same dimensions..and I pretty much feel the same way about all of them: too small, during busy hours you feel really congested in there. A few of the machines in the multi-purpose room were out-of-order. Treadmills and elliptical machines are not well spaced out. Plus there's no air circulation of any kind making the air in the room really dense. Legit almost feels like a sauna in all 3 rooms. Locker rooms and rest rooms seem well maintained and are relatively clean. There's plenty of decent sized lockers available. Overall, an OKAY Rec Center that can definitely use some improvements!

Harassment: Aggressive Pressure or Intimidation. I am 66…read moreyears old. This Harassment Complaint is with The Hansborough Recreation Center: The Manager, Zakiyah C. DeGraffe and Colleen Flood, Deputy Center Manager. The Staff should be made to wear IDs and have Body Cameras. The Cameras in The Buildings should be checked often. New York City Department of Parks & Recreation Centers strive in Harassment, especially by The Female Staffs. The Uniform gave Autonomous Authority. Mean and vicious, The Authority is Abusive. The Client Members Shop About at the various Recreation Centers for Humane Kindness. Will Client Members become too smart with The Computer Knowledge? At The Front Desk where The Client Members scan or hand in The ID Membership Card, they are Detain, Harassed, or Send Away for absurd mean reasons: 1) The Client Members of The Different New York City Department of Parks & Recreation Centers do not give good prognosis of The Staff's Culture. 2) At one Computer Resource Center, every day alone in the room, 3 times I was told The African American Female Staff who had The Only key to The Computer Room took it home, to come back another day. Why would The Recreation Center Staff take home The Only Key to The Computer Room? Is it not The Property of New Yor City? 3) At another Computer Resource Center, I was sitting on The Computer doing my work, with The Computer twist to face me. A Male Client Member, like myself, walked up and seize hold of The Computer. 4) The Hansborough Recreation Center is The Worst I have frequent. I Give It a Zero (0) In Rating. Coordinator Tajh Lewis sits on his own Cell Phone or His Computer all day. The List of Rules are nonexistent. The Staff of The Recreation Center, Hid Out in The Stairway or Congregate in The Computer Room. They sit to eat, they sit to use The Computer, they sit on Their Cell Phones with The Speaker On, or they sit to Talk, in groups. As well, The Client Members engaged the same behavior. One Man used Loud Profane Language, talking Buddy to Buddy with The Computer Room Coordinator Tajh Lewis, who did nothing, said nothing. He listened and laughed along with the man. One girl sat and Played Music and then began To Sing. I looked over and placed my finger to my lips and my right - hand waving lower. She made a complaint to The Coordinator Tajh Lewis and continued playing music and to sing. In The Media Room, the door is left wide open with loud music and singing. The Client Member can say naught. 5) The Client Member Who Came to Use The Computer Became an Unwilling Participant in Their Two - Sided Conversation or in whatever they did. My focused attention on my work was cut. The Very Staff who were to Implement The Rules Broke Them. The Client Member drew retaliation. 6) At one Computer Resource Center, The Computer Room Froze Cold in The Winter Months and Over - Heat during The Summer Months. However, Two Caucasian GED Summer Teachers successfully turned The Air Conditioner on. Another Caucasian Teacher said she had to send her students home; the room was too cold. We all sat bundled in our Winter's Jacket. My fingers and toes were frozen. 7) At The Hansborough Recreation Center, The Manager, Zakiyah C. DeGraffe, forbade me to wear a Winter Jacket. I left My Winter Coat in The Locker Room, without a lock. The Hansborough Recreation Center Staff remove it. For one Winter's Season, I left home naked; I could not buy a lock. 8) At The Hansborough Recreation Center, The Manager, Zakiyah C. DeGraffe forbade me to carry A Handbag with Computer Flashdrives, Contact Book, IDs, Keys, Cell Phone, or The Papers I used in The Computer Room. I was told to carry it in my hand or in a Cardboard Folder. I carried The Handbag to The Adam Clayton Powell State Office Building. 9) At The Hansborough Recreation Center, outside I was told I could not go in. Inside, A Program was in effect for six weeks, come back then. I was not informed. No posters were on display. The Client Members were not brief on events. 10) At The Hansborough Recreation Center, The African American Manager, Zakiyah C. DeGraffe accused me on my entry, of hollowing and shouting at The Client Member. She asked me why I came there to use The Computer?? Colleen Flood, Deputy Center Manager came up to me while I sat on The Computer and told me I had no Respect. Because The People in The Computer Room are allowed to do what they wanted; it was A Media Room. Consideration and Respect was gone along with The List of Rules. The Client Member who needed to use The Microsoft Word was unwelcomed. These Days, The Computer Rooms Are Dark with only Limited Members, Where Once The Rooms Were Filled and The Computer were limited with A Wait List, now there are only one or two persons. The Client Membership Are on The Decline. With Consideration and Respect long gone, The New York City Recreation Centers Computer Resource Center is now fully opened to The Games, The Media, and The Music Members only. GLS

Looking for work at the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation department specially at the…read moreOlmsted Center? You'll probably need to have a contact or a mole inside this department because even if you fill in all the requirements you won't get the job. A friend of mine whom have been in like 3 interviews here and who filled in the shoes to wear on every job applicaton have never gotten a chance here. Theres a panel of 3 or four guys and gals (same people always) who interview you and probably know nothing about the position or the person being interviewed who ask you all sort of personal and job related questions and that's it. I think all this theatrics is just to justify the candidates interviewing process but they already know who's going to get the job, a friend of a friend or a relative of a friend. That's it!! I wonder if among them there's a highly experienced human resources person with a degree in psichology or at least a former recruiter with an eye for talent. Don't even bother applying to their jobs, it's the same in all city jobs being hospitals, MTA, ConEd and the sort. Either you're a minority or you have a relative there to put your foot on the door.