a great little public green space somewhat oddly located on the busy Woodhaven Boulevard. I've always been fascinated by how this city's neighborhoods, streets, and transit developed; this park is an excellent reminder of days gone by.
it's a simple park (just grass, trees, and a few benches), but named after a complex and interesting man. a New York City local boy who was, at various points in his life, a media mogul, a magician, a World War One artillery sergeant, a politician, and an important member of Queens' American Legion community.
when I walked by last week, saw a few people sitting there, drinking coffee, reading the paper, just relaxing. it seems well maintained, though that could also be due to its location. a nice break from - and yet right in the middle of - the hustle and bustle of city life.
posts with horse-heads on top, clutching rings in their mouths, appear all around the perimeter of this Triangle. Trotting Course Lane, as it turns out, dates back to the days of horse and carriage; it was eventually straightened and made into Woodhaven Boulevard for those magnificent men in their driving machines, but a remnant of the original Lane itself is still there as a residential street intersecting Woodhaven.
sidenote: I spent a good ten minutes hunting down the information necessary for this review, methodically going through Google Maps, Forgotten NY, the NYC Parks Department, and FourSquare. technology is wonderful, ainnit? read more