Volume 37, Issue 2

The Park Hill Reporter

P A R K H I L L R E S I D E N T S ’

A S S O C I A T I O N

Lend Me A Tenor Review 1

Annual Meeting Report 2

Meet Our Park Hill

Neighbors

3

Save Our Trees 4-5

New Park Hill Residents 5

The Restaurant Review 6

Advertisers 6-7

Remembering

Gail Averill

8

Tag Sale/Calendar 9

Annual Meeting Photos 10

Safety Report 11

In this issue:

Summer 2017

Photo courtesy of Jon Wallen - Cast members, left to right: Karen Lorence, Chris Canty, Kris Ann Barbera, Steve Ross ,

Jim Beirne, Mary Kay Moment, Chris Gallin and Karin White.

Park Hill Thespians Bring a Smash Hit to the Neighborhood by Kate Waters

After thirty years of darkness, theater at the Park Hill Racquet Club was revived with three sold-out presentations of Ken Ludwig’s Lend Me a Tenor. Jim Beirne, a long-time member of the club, was the force behind the efforts to bring theater back to the Racquet Club. He encouraged people in the community to try out, coordinated the logistics, directed and acted in the play. Three cheers, Jim! And what a show it was. Romance, mistaken identity and the allure of stardom figured into a plot that required many split-second maneuvers, many door openings and closing, and visual slap-stick that kept the audience laughing throughout. The well-stocked Club bar was open for intermission refreshments and audience mem-bers could be heard repeating key lines and laughing yet again. Credits include the actors in above photo; Set & Paint by Paul Cassidy, Lighting by Dave Steck, Props & Doors by Nancy Gallin, Westport Country Playhouse; Sound by Paul Cecere, Max Moment, Deane Prouty, and Steve Savard.; Advice and Backstage by Joe Harbeson, Vic Mason, and Ann-Marie Smith. The Park hill Players group is open to all residents of Yonkers. They are just begin-ning the process of choosing the Fall 2017 play. Contact parkhillplayers@gmail.com for more information.

Continued on page 4

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PAGE 2 THE PARK HILL REPORT ER VOLUME 37, ISSUE 2

The Park Hill Reporter

A Publication of the

Park Hill Residents’ Association

P.O. Box 59 Yonkers, NY 10705

info@ParkHillYonkers.org www.ParkHillYonkers.org

Board of Directors Kathryn Buckley

Lidia Fouto Hettie Jourdan-Vilanova

Robert Klein Martha Mercedes

Olivia Powell Kachina Randall-Andido

Denny Santos Marilee Scheuneman

MaryLou Vetrano Lucy Vigilant-Smith

Sally Williams

The Yonkers Land Conservancy, Inc.

P.O. Box 8 Yonkers, NY 10705

www.YonkersLandConservancy.org

Board of Directors Loretta Miraglia, Chair Theresa Boin, Treasurer

Howard Waldman, Secretary Dorothy Fitch, Trustee Norma Silva, Trustee

George Avgerakis, Trustee

The Park Hill Reporter Editorial Committee Lucy Vigilant-Smith Marilee Scheuneman

Editor—Lucy Vigilant-Smith

Articles, Photos and Advertising:

editor@ParkHillYonkers.org

PHRA Annual Meeting 2017 Report by Kachina Akua Randall

On June 14, 2017, Park Hill Resident’s Association held its annual meeting at the Park Hill

Raquet Club. This meeting served as a way to inform our residents about new developments to

the neighborhood, the city of Yonkers and to meet those who are in office and able to assist

with community concerns.

As the residents of Park Hill entered the ballroom area to take their seats, they were met with a

beautifully illuminated and garnished room designed by the hands of Park Hill’s very own,

Mrs. Kathryn Buckley. The walls were adorned with patterned wallpaper, chic furniture and

paper lanterns, which helped to add a summer country feel bringing the outside in. The resi-

dents of Park Hill were refreshed with a table of fresh ice water and popsicles, from a local ice

cream parlor called ‘PALETERIA LA MICHOACANA’ located at 407 South Broadway. The

recommendation for these delectable and VERY refreshing treats came from fellow Board

Member Hettie Jordan-Villanova, who is also a devout customer of the parlor. (She highly rec-

ommends occupying the little ones by taking them there!) The atmosphere in conjunction with

the decor, refreshments and friendly faces, assisted in creating a very warm and engaging envi-

ronment.

The meeting began with an introduction given by Board Member and long time Park Hill resi-

dent, Mrs Kathryn Buckley. Kathryn helped to get things started by welcoming everyone to the

annual meeting and introducing those who have an active role with the Park Hill Residents

Association board. Residents were then introduced to one of our newer but very well acquaint-

ed and devoted community member, Ms. Sally Williams. Sally had the pleasure of introducing

Groundwork Hudson Valley members: Brigitte Griswold (Executive director), Rob Baron

(Board Chair), and Lou Albano (Deputy Commissioner of Putnam Rail). Collectively, they

explained their goals in the developments throughout the Hudson Valley and shared in depth

the many different projects and developments within Yonkers and surrounding communities.

Some residents had several inquiries regarding their overall goals and concerns which were

able to be directly addressed by the Groundwork Hudson Valley committee.

We were also joined by the Yonkers Police Third Precinct Captain Campanini. Captain Campa-

nini was introduced by our newest Park Hill Resident and Board member, Mrs. Olivia Powell.

Olivia shared the various areas of interest in which she has been communicating with the Cap-

tain such as: traffic, parking, dumping, lack of parking due to apartment buildings not providing

sufficient lots for their tenants and speeding. Captain Campanini, shared a little about himself

and then graciously informed us on how we as residents can reach a responsive police depart-

ment should we have any concerns that need immediate attention. He also spoke on the devel-

opments regarding how his precinct is working with teens and gangs within Yonkers and the

various approaches that they have found to be more responsive and effective. Some residents

were concerned about the lack of respect which has been shown by police officers in Yonkers

and inquired whether the Police Force took cultural sensitivity courses to help them communi-

cate better with the community (a very thoughtful and important question). The Captain re-

sponded by assuring the audience that they do participate in such courses and do everything

they possibly can to work with the entire community of Yonkers in a civil manner. In the end,

the audience was recommended to download the Yonkers PD App as a quick and responsive

way to anonymously make a report. The audience was also handed the Captains personal busi-

ness card should anyone have further concerns that required a one-on-one conversation.

The community of Park Hill was also introduced to the new Executive Director of the South

Broadway BID, Mrs. Karel Littman. Karel shared with Park Hill residents how she plans to

help local businesses achieve more esthetically pleasing storefronts by offering free business

advice from professional designers and business experts in the field of sales and restaurants.

Karel also mentioned how much she would like to improve upon having more sponsored events

in Yonkers and have the Broadway BID help meet the wants and desires of our diverse commu-

nity. Antique Car shows were mentioned, art events as well as more musical events are all a

key element in engaging our local community.

Yonkers Land Conservancy Chair Person, Ms. Loretta Miraglia, gave a presentation asking for

our community to get involved in helping just once a month in picking up litter from parkways

and other areas that are often heavily littered and not tended to. As many people throughout the

meeting expressed their concerns for the litter in and around our neighborhood, this long time

existing organization has been taking the approach of: “Get up and do something about it for

your selves!” as a way to combat against sitting and being silent. This would be a great way for

High School students to fulfill volunteer requirements or just be personally involved with their

Continued on page 5

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PAGE 3 THE PARK HILL REPORT ER VOLUME 37, ISSUE 2

Cultivating Community,

Courage and Creativity in Clay

Cori Morenberg and her husband, Ralph Pa-

dilla, moved to Park Hill from upper Manhat-

tan over three and a half years ago, happy to

find more space due north. It was almost a

year after that when Cori opened her ceram-

ics and pottery studio at 379 McLean Ave-

nue. What began as a hobby became her pas-

sion to create from clay, and to bring others

into the experience. Although her own work

is mostly hand building in that medium,

most of the students in her classes use one of

several pottery wheels to “throw” clay to cre-

ate various objects. Her shop is a light and

tidy studio with two very large electric kilns,

a spacious work area for classes, a vast selec-

tion of glazes, and shelves to hold the fin-

ished work before it is fired. She offers clas-

ses seven days a week and attracts students

from a wide area. Park Hill neighbor, Marla

Hazen, has been taking pottery classes there

for almost three years and says, “Cori is a

patient teacher. She's always available to

make suggestions and give advice to her stu-

dents. Taking classes at the studio is a great

creative outlet and a fun way to meet and

socialize with like minded people.” Take a

look at Cori’s beautiful website Yonkerspot-

tery.com for more information. With Cori’s

studio and her husband’s position as City of

Yonkers Arborist, they are definitely invest-

ed in the future of Yonkers, and especially of

Park Hill.

Meet Our Park Hill Neighbor

##################################################################

We moved into Park Hill a year and half ago and although we had done all the research from going into some of the history of the area, census numbers to school districts. We even spent a lot of time just driving through the area. One of the things I couldn't find is an online presence; one that openly complains about neighborhood items. This took me off a bit. I could find Facebook groups from Riverdale, Pelham, Ludlow but not Park Hill. It gave my family a bit of anxiety before ultimately making the decision to buy in the area.

When we moved in I wanted to change that. If you have a Facebook account you can join the Park Hill Face-book group. There are two ways to do this: you can go the ParkhillYonkers.org and at the top right of the page click on the Facebook icon; or you can search for "Park Hill Yonkers discussion Group". There we share infor-mation about the neighborhood from traffic issues, to local vendors reviews, news of shops that will be open-ing in the area. So if you want to join the conversation, or just join to see if your area of concern has been cov-ered please feel free to join. One added bonus is that several members of the Residents' Association is in the group and we will be happy to work on and direct your concerns to the appropriate city officials. Danny Santos

4

PAGE 4 THE PARK HILL REPORT ER VOLUME 37, ISSUE 2

WHY SAVE OUR BIG TREES? – by Hettie Jordan-Vilanova

I moved to Yonkers following the trees north along the Hudson River from NYC to Park Hill. I came for the beauty and serenity of the rocks,

hills, trees and big old houses with porches. As I sit on my porch each morning drinking coffee, I am thankful for the cool shade and dancing

sunlight. The trees that surround my house keep me cool in the summer and provide a glorious display of color in the fall. Even in the cold of

winter I can stand at any window and enjoy the blankets of snow lying on branches large and small. Spring always brings the welcomed delight

of delicate blossoms.

So you can imagine that my least favorite sound is a chain saw. I am the first to ask “WHAT ARE YOU DOING? Why are you taking out this

150 year old healthy oak?”

I never understand why a family moves into a house and before they have lived through a season, cuts down the trees and removes the plant-

ings. I wonder why they moved to this neighborhood of green. Do they not understand the vital role that trees play in a healthy environment?

So here is a list of why trees are important to the health of our neighborhood and the planet:

Trees Provide Oxygen

A mature leafy tree produces as much oxygen as 10 people breath in a year.

Trees Clean the Soil

Trees absorb dangerous chemicals and pollutants that have collected in the soil. Trees Control Noise Pollution

Trees muffle traffic & urban noise.

Trees Act as Windbreaks

A windbreak can lower heating bills by up to 30%.

Trees Fight Soil Erosion

Trees conserve rainwater and reduce water runoff during storms.

Trees Clean the Air

Trees filter particulates in the air by trapping them on their

leaves and bark.

Trees Combat Climate Change

Park Hills’ vacant, wooded lots are our very own climate

change combatants.

Trees Shade and Cool the Streets and the City

Trees cool the city by shading our homes and streets, break-

ing up “heat islands” and releasing water vapor into the air

reducing temperatures as much as 12°F.

Continue on page 5

5

PAGE 5 THE PARK HILL REPORT ER VOLUME 37, ISSUE 2

Continued from page 2 - meeting

Welcome to all our new neighbors! community. It would also be a proactive way for Park Hill residents to

show further commitment to the community by assisting in a program that

revolves around keeping neighborhoods and nearby roadways, litter free.

As the meeting came to an end we were updated by Library Trustee, Mr.

Jim Buckley, regarding the library Strategic Plan. Residents were reminded

that the library stands to be a great source of community involvement re-

garding workshops, literature, meeting spaces, and art exhibits. Residents

were also informed that Mr. Buckley and other members of the library have

been working hard in making available tutors/tutoring for Yonkers students

who are in need of extra help during the school year.

Last but not least residents were introduced to the new online look of the

Park Hill website. The Park Hill Residents Association Board has for the

past year been trying to expand the various ways that members receive

their information. Some prefer and enjoy the newsletter, while others like

to access information online. Board members came together and brain-

stormed on how to make the online face of Park Hill more friendly and

active. With the webmaster expertise of Mr. Denny Santos (another board

member of Park Hill Residents Association), and feedback from board

members, we were able to update the face of Park Hill’s online look and

hope that residents feel free to leave questions and/or remarks that are up-

lifting to our community.

Have a Beautiful Summer, Park Hill!

The Bardales Family, 100 Lefferts Road

The Emerson Family, 79 Edgecliff Terrace

The Espinoza/Terrero Family, 22 Bryant Road

The Garcia Family, 70 Lefferts Road

The Ghosh Family, 22 Lawrence Place

The Iqbal Family, 316 Van Cortlandt Park Avenue

The Jenkins/Moniz Family, 145 Alta Avenue

The Koh Family, 6 Gibson Place

The Leon/Wales Family, 52 Lakeside Drive

The Mills Family, 148 Lefferts Road

The Niamke/Menla Family, 27 Wallace Parkway

The Poppe Family, 45 Rockland Ave

The Reidel/Reyes Family, 41 Prospect Drive

The Samuel Family, 18 Ridge Road

The Vu-Thi/Smith Family, 9 Hemlock Road

The Walters Family, 63 Ridge Drive

Please join us in welcoming them to our neigh-

borhood .

Trees Increase Property Values

Trees can increase the value of your property by 15% or more

Trees Provide a Canopy and Habitat for Wildlife

Birds & squirrels, rabbits and insects rely on trees.

Trees Conserve Water

Shade from trees slows water evaporation from thirsty lawns.

Trees Shield us from Ultra-Violet Rays

Trees reduce UV-B exposure by about 50%, thus providing protection to

us all but especially to children.

Park Hill’s natural beauty is exactly why most people move here. But each

year more and more old trees are cut down and the large lots cleared and

filled in with

new houses. I

hope this list

of the many

reasons our

trees are

important

will help us

find ways to

protect and

maintain the

natural beau-

ty of our

neighbor-

hood.

Continued from page 4 - trees

Grow Your World & Green Your Community by Joining a Garden Club!

Luther Burbank Garden Club

Membership Drive

Ginton I. Will Branch Library

1500 Central Park Ave. Yonkers, NY 10710

The Luther Burbank Garden Club is a member of:

The National Council of State Garden Clubs Inc.,

9th District, Federated Garden Clubs of NY State

Federated Since 1928

Civic Projects: Rumsey Rd 9/11 Memorial,

Annual Community Tree Lighting Rumsey Rd, McLean Avenue Flower Boxes,

Wreath Decorating and Donations to Veterans

Club meets 2nd Wednesday of the month. Civic

projects are 8 days of the year. Great opportuni-

ty to socialize with neighbors and enjoy lunch-

eons with guests speakers.

Questions/RSVP: LBGC1923@aol.com

Join as a family, single or youth program

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PAGE 6 THE PARK HILL REPORT ER VOLUME 37, ISSUE 2

Restaurant Review – Castle Royale by Marilee Scheuneman

My neighbor, Nancy Headley, from the Luther

Burbank Garden Club, called to say, “Why don’t

you write a restaurant review for the Reporter

on the Castle Royale.” She went on to tell me

that the food is so delicious, and the price is

right. The next day I took my husband and two

grandchildren to the buffet lunch they offer eve-

ry Tuesday through Friday from 11:30 to 3:00. I

was pleased to find pirogues, stuffed cabbage,

and kielbasa offered, they were scrumptious, along with the best pulled pork I

have ever eaten. The boys had meatballs and spaghetti, too. Penne al vodka was

there, a large salad selection and homemade soup, a meal in itself. Dessert, coffee,

and soda were included in the price of $11.95 per person; children are half price. A

full bar is open as well, and the venue is elegant, light and pleasant. This used to

be called the Polish Center, located at the corner of Waverly Street and Yonkers

Avenue, with plenty of free parking. We were very pleased. Check their website,

castleroyale.com, for information on their catering facilities.

Save the Trees of Park Hill

Cut the Ivy

Ivy can strangle trees and once it is in

the tree canopy, it can block sunlight

from the trees’ leaves. Dense ivy cover

deprives the tree’s bark of normal con-

tact with air and microorganisms and

competes with the tree for nutrients

and water.

The Tree Stewards, Virginia USA

7

PAGE 7 THE PARK HILL REPORT ER

VOLUME 37, ISSUE 2 PAGE 7

Robert C. Whitney & Son

Lone Pine Tree Experts

Help Preserve America’s Trees

Pruning Removal Cavity Cabling Feeding

Office: 914-968-8201 cell: 914-562-6534

211 Cerrato Lane

Yonkers, NY 10705

Fully Insured 24-hour Service 12-months a year

Complete Design, Alterations, Violations

C/O, Residential and Commercial Services

Lifelong Park Hill Resident

30 Years Experience

Free Consultation

914-713-8888

www.joefernandezarchitect.com

www.ZuppaRestaurant.com

(914) 376 6500

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PAGE 8 THE PARK HILL REPORT ER VOLUME 37, ISSUE 2

Gail Averill - A Remembrance by Terry Joshi

My husband says that when he thinks of Gail Averill he first thinks of green thumbs. I first think of a wicked

sense of humor and a rigorous, principled intellect. But there are so many Gails to miss now that we have to

accept the reality of her absence; how can we count them all? There is the Gail of the End of February Par-

ty, who brought the neighborhood together annually to wish away the last of winter and to celebrate hus-

band Bill’s February 27th birthday (an acknowledgement that Bill pretended to deplore but actually rev-

eled in.) There is the Gail who helmed the Yonkers Land Conservancy and with that amazing Averill liber-

ality put a conservation easement on the three buildable lots that constituted her Alta Avenue side yard.

Her generous gesture preserved in perpetuity the beauty of the Alta Avenue terminus adjacent to Leslie

Sutherland Park. Gail’s father was a violinist in the Boston Symphony Orchestra, so THAT Gail conceived

the idea for our long-lived chamber music series in peoples’ homes, which made it possible for us to all

spend pleasurable times together listening to Brahms and Beethoven. And that same Gail loved Porter,

Berlin, Sondheim, and Rogers and could spend hours around any handy piano, singing the American Song-

book lustily in her raspy voice. And let us not forget the Gail whose primary food groups were ice cream,

cake and coffee!

But for Park Hill, the Gail we should most treasure, and in whose memory Park Hillers should strive to emu-

late, is the gardening Gail who, with her dear friend and neighbor Dorothy Fitch, took a nearly derelict

Leslie Sutherland Park and recreated it as urban oasis. They spent years working their way down the

hillsides, uncovering the steps and foundations of the old hotel, planting thousands upon thousands of daf-

fodils and other spring bulbs, dredging the “magic fairy pool’, discarding trash and creating idyllic path-

ways for public use. They struck up a cordial relationship with the Yonkers Parks Department, which grate-

fully ceded to them the planting and maintenance of the top level of the Park, where Gail and Dottie plant-

ed city-donated annuals, tried out fruit bushes, and fought back against invasive plant incursions. The best

possible way for the neighborhood to acknowledge our loss is to maintain the work she did in the Park.

There are people whose passing barely leaves a trace. Gail was not one of them.

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PAGE 9 THE PARK HILL REPORT ER

VOLUME 37, ISSUE 2 PAGE 9

Annual Spring Tag Sale The City of Yonkers has put a limit of two tag sales per year that a family is allowed to run. In response, the Park Hill Residents’ Association continues to sponsor the weekend long neighborhood tag sale in May to draw bargain hunters from all over by placing ads in the Journal News and announcing it in various media throughout Westchester and by tacking up posters and signs advertising the sale. Paper maps identifying all the participants are placed at key locations as a guide to sale locations. This event is also an opportunity for a pleasant stroll around Park Hill, and to meet and greet neighbors.

Whose trash is it anyway… and why should I care?

Become a volunteer for the Adopt-A-Highway on Rumsey Road. Help the

Yonkers Land Conservancy keep trash out of our beautiful neighborhood.

Join us for the next clean up on the 3rd Saturday in September. Please con-

tact Loretta Miraglia at LAM6363@optonline.net to add your name to the list

and to get more information. Safety vests, gloves, grabbers, helmets and

trash bags are all provided. We care.

August 20th Yonkers Day - Untermyer Gardens 3:00—6:00p.m.

August 28th Candidates’ Night for Primaries Chema Center 7:45p.m.

September 18th Candidates’ Night for Final Election Chema Center 7:45p.m.

September 20th PHRA Board Meeting 7:30p.m.

October 1st PHRA Members’ Annual Potluck

PHRA Calendar of Events

10

PHRA

2017

Annual Meeting

THE PARK HILL REPORT ER VOLUME 37, ISSUE 2 PAGE 10

11

YONKERS POLICE WANT YOU TO BEWARE OF TELEPHONE SCAMS

Recent advances in telephone technology (internet calling, voice-over IP, spoofing, etc.) has yielded an increase in the number

of telephone based frauds and scams. The scammers often target the elderly and vulnerable members of our community.

The Yonkers Police Department wants you to be safe, and to protect yourself from becoming the victim of a telephone scam by

following these simple guidelines:

Your best protection is to just hang up the phone when called by someone you do not know. If you think that is rude, tell these callers politely that you are not interested, don't want to waste their time, and please don't call back - and then hang up.

Be suspicious of unsolicited telephone calls. Scammers will often try to engage you by purporting to be a government or law enforcement official, a family member in distress or experiencing an emergency, or a charitable organization. The scammer’s goal is often to get you to give up money via wire transfer or even cash payment, or to steal your identity and bank information.

Never give out your personal or financial details. Unless you initiated the call and or you know who you are speaking to, NEV-ER give out your personal information – especially your social security number, checking or debit or credit cards numbers, your date of birth or your name and address – to anyone over the telephone. The government – Police, IRS, Federal or State Agencies – will NEVER call or text you asking for money.

Don’t believe your caller ID. Technology makes it easy for scammers to fake caller ID information, so the name and number you see aren’t always real. If someone calls asking for money or personal information, hang up. If you think the caller might be telling the truth, call back to a number you know is genuine.

Talk to someone. Before you give up your money or personal information, talk to someone you trust. Con artists want you to

make decisions in a hurry. They might even threaten you. Slow down, check out the story, do an online search, consult an expert, or just tell a friend.

Hang up on robocalls. If you answer the phone and hear a recorded sales pitch, hang up and report it to the FTC. These calls are illegal, and often the products are bogus. Don’t press 1 to speak to a person or to be taken off the list. That could lead to more calls.

VOLUME 37, ISSUE 2 THE PARK HILL REPORT ER PAGE 11

PHRA Board Proactive on Neighborhood Safety and Security Issues

The Park Hill Residents’ Association Board is partnering with Sergeant Dean Politopoulos of the Yon-

kers Police Department to reinstate a Neighborhood Blockwatch Program. Board member Olivia Pow-

ell is in charge of assembling the first class of “blockwatchers”, who will receive a two-hour training

course from the YPD on how to be good witnesses as well as an anonymous number to report tips safe-

ly to the police. The city will also post new signage throughout Park Hill alerting passersby that a

Neighborhood Blockwatch Program is in effect. All interested residents should reach out to Ms. Powell

through the “Contact Us” form on the new PHRA website: http://www.parkhillyonkers.org/contact-us

by September 5 to be included in the first class of trainees this fall.

Ms. Powell and several PHRA members have also been in touch with city officials to discuss and pro-

pose solutions for endemic traffic issues, such as reckless driving, especially following the accidents on

Park Hill Avenue and Van Cortland Park Avenue. A bigger update on this matter will be presented in

our next issue.

TIP: Community affairs encourages the entire neighborhood to increase the lighting on their proper-

ties, which will in turn illuminate the streets and practically eliminate crime.

TIP: Get the Yonkers Police Department Tips application on your iPhone (YPD APP) which was de-

veloped by Citizen Observer. It provides citizens the ability to submit anonymous tips and participate

in an interactive "chat" with the Yonkers Police Department.

TIP: Look out for your neighbors.

12

P.O. Box 59 Yonkers, NY 10705

P A R K H I L L R E S I D E N T S ’

A S S O C I A T I O N

Photos

Photos by Lucy Vigilant-Smith