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Forest Hills Volunteers to Spruce Up Neighborhood for the Fall

By Ewa Kern-Jedrychowska | September 27, 2013 6:52am
 A group of volunteers will plant flowers along Continental Avenue.
A group of volunteers will plant flowers along Continental Avenue.
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Michael Perlman

QUEENS — A group of Forest Hills residents will plant a number of seasonal flowers to beautify the area for the fall.

Members of the Forest Hills Green Team will be planting mums and ornamental cabbage along Continental Avenue, between Queens Boulevard and Burns Street, on Saturday, Oct. 5.

“It’s the central part of that business district — you have the subway and the railroad, and all the stores here,” said Stephen Melnick, 50, who started the group about a decade ago. “We are trying to make it look nice and we are adding some color.”

The group will be also weeding and cleaning out the tree pits and putting mulch around the trees.

The tools will be provided by the Parks Department and Melnick will donate the plants.

Melnick, who works for HSBC, said that about 10 years ago, there were no plants along the busy stretch.

“There was just dirt there and it was so hard that we needed shovels to break through,” he said. The group later introduced soil and started planting seasonal flowers on a regular basis. 

“It was a lot of work,” he said. “But it’s good for the community and good for the environment.”

Volunteers willing to help are welcome to participate. The group will meet on Saturday, Oct. 5, between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. (rain or shine) at HSBC Bank on Continental Ave. All tools and work gloves will be provided. Those interested can also email the group at Info@QueensBlvd.org.