Parks Department Helps Itself To $ 7.5 Million Dollars Earmarked For Goodhue Center Purchase

Staten Island

And elected officials expressed further skepticism about the (Cedar Grove Beach Club) plan following the discovery that only $1.5 million remains of $9 million in discretionary dollars from the City Council delegation, Borough President James Molinaro and Rep. Michael McMahon (D-Staten Island/Brooklyn) to purchase the Goodhue Center in New Brighton from the Children’s Aid Society, according to the S. I. Advance. 

Parks officials tried to mend fences with the borough’s City Council delegation in a closed door meeting, explaining that money was used to meet mandated cuts to their capital budget. The city budget included an 11 percent cut to Parks. 

“How are they going to allocate money for Cedar Grove after taking that money from Goodhue?” asked City Councilman James Oddo (R-Mid-Island/Brooklyn). “Until we are made whole again, they are not going to get another dime from us.” 

Elected officials have also cited a lack of funding to repair the Cromwell Center in Tompkinsville, which collapsed into the water in May, the closure of the Leesberg Senior Park in Sunnyside, and the last-minute maneuvering by the City Council that kept public pools open this summer. 

Read More:

City holds firm on plans to take over Staten Island's Cedar Grove Beach Club

S.I. Advance - September 5, 2010 - By Stephanie Slepian

Rep. McMahon Asks Bloomberg To Follow Through On Acquiring Goodhue Woods For Park

A Walk In The Park - August 16, 2010