BY DENNIS LYNCH | The 300 West 23rd, 22nd, 21st Streets Block Association honored and heard from local community leaders, pols, and law enforcement officers at their annual community meeting at St. Paul’s German Lutheran Church (315 W. 22nd St., btw. Eighth & Ninth Aves.) on Oct. 24. The block association gave each honoree a framed print of the buildings on the 300 block of 21st St., between Eighth and Ninth Aves., the same iconic image the association uses as its logo.
The association honored Assemblymember Richard Gottfried, State Senator Brad Hoylman, Councilmember Corey Johnson, longtime President of the Council of Chelsea Block Associations Bill Borock, and the NYPD’s Chelsea-based 10th Precinct.
The 10th Precinct sent 26-year veteran, Detective Mike Petrillo (of the Community Affairs office) and their crime prevention officer, Jarret DiLorenzo, to accept the gift. Petrillo said it was the work that all precinct officers do, not just those tasked with community affairs, that should be credited with building a positive rapport with locals.
“For the precinct itself, it’s a great honor. It’s more about the work we do as a whole, and the relationships we’ve built over the years with our community,” he said.
The block association’s co-chair, Zazel Loven, had glowing praise for the precinct, and Petrillo in particular.
“He supports everything we do in the neighborhood. He’s out there walking around; he will listen to people from the neighborhood that have something they want to air, or just want to tell him about. He’s a very accessible community affairs officer,” she said.
Borock took the opportunity to speak about what his organization has been involved in over the last year, including their successful efforts campaigning for a park on W. 20th St. (btw. Sixth & Seventh Aves.), and establishing micro gardens along bike lanes on Sixth Ave. He also reported that the council will testify at a State Liquor Authority hearing regarding the license held by what he called the troublesome Seventh Ave. bar Il Bastardo, and of the council’s establishment of a task force to study Transportation Alternatives’ PeopleWay plan for 14th St.
Representatives from the NYC Compost Project hosted by the Lower East Side Ecology Center discussed the upcoming Pumpkin Smash composting event set for Sat., Nov. 5, 11 a.m.–2 p.m., at PS 11 (320 W. 21st St., btw. Ninth & 10th Aves.) and Clement Clarke Moore Park (195 10th Ave., btw. W. 21st & W. 22nd Sts.).
Anyone can bring their over-the-hill jack-o’-lantern to smash up in big barrels and be hauled off for compost at the ecology center.
There will also be a worm composting demonstration, activities for kids, and refreshments. Anyone who cannot bring their pumpkin can email 300wba@gmail.com to have block association volunteers scoop up their pumpkins from their stoops.
