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Forest Hills Gardens Corporation
Monthly News & Updates
June 2026
| | | Message from FHGC President Bruce Eaton | |
June is going to be particularly busy this year in the Gardens.
It starts this Saturday, June 6th, with Children’s Day at Flagpole Green. This unique community event has a rich history dating back to July 4, 1917 (and possibly earlier) with children’s games in Station Square. The following Saturday, June 13th will be Flag Day put on by the FHGC and led by Tony Barsamian, also at Flagpole Green. This historical holiday event pays tribute to the U.S. flag and what it means to local residents. Several local politicians will be on hand, and this event helps keep us top of mind with them. The last event in June will be in Olivia Park (aka Deepdene Park) on Sunday, June 28th. This is a music event put on by the FHGC Membership Committee. At each these of events the Declaration #3 Extension Committee will be gathering signatures to extend Dec #3 another 20 years. Please stop by the table and add your signature to the extension.
It will also be a big maintenance month with tree removals happening the first week of June and tree plantings the second week. National Grid and their contractor, Hallen, will be begin laying the last section of high-pressure gas lines along Markwood, Underwood, Deepdene, Union Turnpike and Burns Street early in the month. The wood frames around trees to protect them during this work were put up in late May. We will be repaving the streets where National Grid laid the high-pressure lines last year in mid-June as well, mostly west of 71st Avenue will provide as much notice to affected residents as possible.
There are other activities going on in The Gardens that we don’t have control over but will affect residents during the month of June. There are going to be six events in June at the stadium and the NYPD will be closing streets and enforcing safety measures. Notifications will be provided to residents on the specific days of performances.
The LIRR and its contractor Forte Construction will be finishing up work east of Station Square sometime in June and moving the bulk of their operations west of Station Square. Once the move is complete, all commuters stopping at Forest Hills will have to depart down the new ramp east of Station Square. The main stairs may be closed for an extended period. The LIRR has been transitioning their work areas to the west for the last several weeks. We do have a signed lease agreement with them giving them permission to use our streets with a monthly charge. While the work is ongoing at Station Square, unfortunately several LIRR vehicles have been misusing the Square. We are in daily contact with the LIRR to reduce this use with some success but are escalating the issue both within the LIRR and with local politicians.
Lastly, I hope everyone can enjoy this first month of summer in this unique community that we have the pleasure of living in.
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Celebrating Community Spirit
Children’s Day on June 6th
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For an incredible 112 years, the Celebrations Association of Forest Hills Gardens has been the heartbeat of two of our neighborhood's most cherished traditions. Operating independently of the Forest Hills Gardens Corp and relying entirely on local donations and volunteers, the Celebrations Association brings residents together twice a year preserving the historic charm and close-knit camaraderie of our wonderful neighborhood.
While winter brings the magic of Christmas Eve in Station Square complete with Santa's sleigh on our streets and a community caroling gathering in Station Square—the approach of June means it is time for our signature summer tradition. What originally began as an old-fashioned July 4th festival (famous for hosting a patriotic speech by former President Theodore Roosevelt on the steps of the train station in 1917) eventually found its permanent home on the first Saturday of June. Today, that legacy lives on as Children’s Day, a nostalgic, joyful carnival that connects generations of neighbors.
This year's festivities bring the carnival spirit right back to our historic Flagpole Green on Saturday, June 6, 2026. It promises to be a spectacular day of old-fashioned fun, community pride, and neighborly connection. An All-Day Unlimited Access Pass is available for $35 per child.
● 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM The Annual Pet Show: Kick off the morning by bringing your beloved family pets down to Flagpole Green. It’s a neighborhood favorite, and prizes will be proudly awarded across all categories.
● 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM Rides, Games & Carnival Fun: Immediately following the pet show, the Green transforms into a lively festival ground packed with exciting rides, classic games, food, and endless fun.
To find more information, get involved or donate, please visit celebrationsfhg.org.
| Legal Committee: Concert Update | |
Over the past 60 days, the Corporation has been engaged in active settlement discussions with Tiebreaker and the West Side Tennis Club but nothing has been agreed to so far. It is difficult at the moment to gauge whether and when a settlement will be reached, but we believe there has been some progress towards one. We want you to know that these discussions are ongoing and remain a priority.
We also want to share some news that we know will be frustrating to many of you. The booking process for the 35 concerts scheduled for this summer was well under way prior to the latest attempts at settlement. Any settlement will not impact the number of events for the 2026 season. We share your frustration—the Board firmly believes that having 35 shows is excessive, and securing a meaningful reduction for future years is our central objective.
On a more positive note, because we were able to successfully resolve the Corporation's claims against the City, the NYPD will once again be providing primary security during concerts. This is an important step in the right direction. In the meantime, we are committed to finding common ground with all parties to reach a settlement in the coming months and to ensuring that, despite the number of shows this year, they proceed as smoothly as possible.
| Tree Falls After Major Rain | A defining characteristic of our neighborhood is the age and canopy of our trees. We have a regular maintenance program for the trees on FHGC property, which includes pruning and removal. A variety of factors can cause branches and trees to fall, including weather, age and disease. Despite the best efforts of our team, there is no way to prevent anything from ever happening. We will continue to maintain our trees in the neighborhood with the advice of a tree expert, and do whatever he tells us is necessary to make things as safe as possible. If you have a question about a FHGC tree on the curb plot by your home, please reach out to the FHGC office. Homeowners with large or older trees on their properties should have them regularly looked at and maintained by a tree service company as well. | |
Traffic issues have been at the forefront of discussions this year, and FHGC is making progress towards making our streets safer. A primary goal has been to improve conditions for our young travelers particularly near our schools. Another area of focus has been tackling ways to deal with heavy cross-through traffic and the drivers who disregard speed signs and stop signs. We haven't solved every problem, but we are trying; it is a work in progress.
Daylighting and Why It's Important
When we drive down our streets and come to intersecting roads, we often can't see to the left or to the right as we approach an intersection because cars are parked too close to curbs. Daylighting is a way to improve visibility by putting "No Parking Here to Corner" signs in at busy intersections. Such signs are being added to improve visibility at key points, most recently at Greenway South/Cranford (St. Luke's Church) and Greenway South and Slocum Crescent (P.S. 101). These are places where lots of young travelers traverse roads, and we hope to help increase passage visibility.
Speed Zones Near Schools
In response to the city's initiative to make school zones safer, FHGC will be putting up 15 MPH signs near P.S.101 and Church in the Gardens along Ascan Avenue in the coming weeks. 20 MPH signs have been there for many years, and the hope is to further dissuade speeding in the school zones.
Speed Humps & Bumps
Two years ago, temporary speed humps were placed in several locations throughout the Gardens. They then disappeared because of the work being done by National Grid and the disruption to the roads. These temporary humps will be replaced with permanent speed bumps when Greenway North and Greenway South are repaved this coming summer. We will be placing temporary humps strategically in the areas surrounding P.S. 101 on Russell Place , as well as on Burns Street near Greenway Terrace. Slocum Crescent is another area we are evaluating between Continental Avenue and Greenway South. This work will be done in the summer.
Parking Expansion
The multi-year LIRR project has displaced many residential and commercial parking spaces along Burns Street and surrounding areas. Construction on Continental Avenue has also impacted our residents. In response, FHGC is trying to meet the needs of our residential community by adding parking spots where additional spaces can be found. The Board recently returned three spots near Terrace Realty and will create additional parking spots at the base of Tennis Place near Dartmouth and on Bow in the coming weeks. For now these changes are currently temporary; the Board will evaluate whether to make the spots permanent. FHGC realizes it may be a disruption to some homeowners and will work with residents should they have any concerns.
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Landscape & Parks Update
The Landscape Committee has been busy at work in the Greenway Terrace area, enriching the beautiful shrub layer originally envisioned by Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. by adding summer-flowering plants to complement the existing spring-blooming azaleas.
We focused on Terrace Circle, working to create a more vibrant public space to enhance the experience of everyone who visits the Circle. We’ve added pink shrub roses and grasses to the center and picturesque Double Play Doozie Spirea around them to create a colorful display that should bloom all summer long. We also began addressing the tip end of the Terrance, introducing Hydrangea Spring Sizzle and Hydrangea Endless Summer, also summer-blooming, to create a more welcoming entryway into the Gardens.
Many thanks to the FHGC crew (who were critical to the planting effort), members of the Landscape Committee, and other volunteers whose hard work made the transformation possible.
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Summer Concert in Olivia Park
(Deepdene Park)
Please join your neighbors in a Forest Hills Gardens tradition as we have our summer concert on Sunday, June 28 at 6pm in Olivia Park. The band Brownstone Brass will perform classic songs from the American canon in celebration of our country’s 250th birthday. Admission is free.
| Stained Glass of FHG Presentation | |
On Sunday November 14th, please join the Forest Hills Gardens Foundation for a special presentation by stained glass preservationist Brianne Van Vorst, Principal of Liberty Stained Glass Conservation, LLC.
Brianne will highlight the work of many renowned stained-glass artists, especially G. Owen Bonawit, celebrated for his exceptional craftsmanship and whose beautiful windows can be found in many Forest Hills Gardens homes. Additional details to follow — we hope you will join us for this fascinating look at an important part of our community’s architectural history.
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The Forest Hills Gardens community extends a warm congratulations to the Class of 2026 and their families. We wish the graduates well in their next chapters.
Thomas Hu Bradshaw is graduating from JHS 157 Stephen A. Halsey this month and will be attending Regis High School in the fall.
Sadie Brown is graduating from Russell Sage and is headed to Dominican Academy for high school.
Violet Dutton, valedictorian of The Mary Louis Academy, is excited to be heading to Princeton University in the fall.
Ilana Gakin graduated magna cum laude from Northeastern University with a degree in Political Science and Criminal Justice. She will be attending law school starting Fall 2026.
Mina Marrero is graduating from 8th grade this June from Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Catholic Academy. She will be attending high school at Marymount School of New York.
Zelia Mathew graduates from Salk School of Science in June. She'll begin Bard High School Early College in Queens this fall.
Shea Meier graduated from College of the Holy Cross, majoring in Psychology and Sociology with a minor in Deaf Studies. She is currently working for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, in their Sales Academy.
Andre Patin graduates from Xavier High School this month and will attend Tulane University.
Sascha Pearlstein recently graduated from the University of Michigan.
Justin Sells graduated from Boston College Law School
Jaya Smith is graduating from Metropolitan Expeditionary Learning School (MELS) in June and will be attending Boston University majoring in Journalism and Political Science.
Stella Swade graduates from LaGuardia High School this June and will be enrolling in Boston University in the fall.
Ginger Ting graduates from Louis Armstrong Middle School this month and will be attending Archbishop Molloy High School in the fall.
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Upcoming Community Events
Saturday, June 6: Children's Day in Flagpole Green, 11am - 4pm. Rain Date: June 20.
Saturday, June 13: Annual FHGC Flag Day celebration in Flagpole Green at 11am.
Sunday, June 28: Concert celebrating America’s 250th Independence Day in Olivia Park at 6pm
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Forest Hills Gardens Communication Committee:
Susan Gregg (co-chair), Ross Peyser (co-chair),
Monika Bialokur, Bob Hofman, Karen Koffler, Steve Silberberg (photo editor)
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