[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 131 (Tuesday, October 8, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1792]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    IN RECOGNITION OF THE TURTLE BAY ASSOCIATION'S 45TH ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, October 8, 2002

  Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the 
Turtle Bay Association (TBA) which is celebrating its 45th anniversary 
year of service to the community. The Turtle Bay Association is a group 
of dedicated volunteers actively working to preserve the history and 
enhance the quality of life of Turtle Bay.
  New York City is comprised of an amalgam of neighborhoods, each of 
which has its own distinct flavor. Turtle Bay, once the site of Turtle 
Bay Farm, extends from 43rd to 53rd from Lexington Avenue to the East 
River. The Turtle Bay Association came into existence to respond to an 
unprecedented building boom that brought towering office buildings and 
high rise apartments to the community. In 1957, a group of Turtle Bay 
neighbors got together to protest the widening of East 49th Street to 
become a high speed thruway. The proposal was defeated. From these 
modest beginnings, TBA has grown to a highly-respected, tenacious group 
of almost 2000 New Yorkers dedicated to preserving the beauty of this 
distinctive neighborhood.
  The TBA has compiled a substantial list of accomplishments through 
years of tireless organized community activism. The TBA has 
successfully spearheaded major park renovations including the 
reconstruction of Peter Detmold Park in 1987 and Dag Hammarskjold Plaza 
in 1999, and responded to the complaints of concerned parents by 
launching a clean up of MacArthur Playground. TBA has planted a 
profusion of trees and flowers and reduced visual clutter to beautify 
Second Avenue. In addition, TBA members periodically repaint mailboxes, 
traffic signs, and signal boxes vandalized with graffiti.
  The TBA keeps the community and its members informed about local 
events through various media. By publishing the Turtle Bay newsletter, 
TBA offers members of the community access to interesting local news 
and to the area's upcoming social, civic, and cultural events. The 
TBA's prominently displayed bulletin board on Second Avenue is used to 
post important notices of interest to the community and its extensive 
website includes information about the neighborhood and TBA activities.
  The TBA also maintains an active agenda of annual events, creating a 
fun and exciting environment for community service. They host the 
``Love Thy Neighborhood'' Valentine Party, a Turtle Bay Street Fair, 
Night Out Against Crime, Town Hall Meetings, and a holiday toy 
collection for needy children. Through these events, TBA promotes a 
sense of small town community in the heart of New York City.
  Among its many other hard-earned achievements, TBA joined forces with 
the East Side Rezoning Alliance as charter members and successfully 
accomplished a drive for low-rise rezoning to protect the community's 
access to air and sunlight. Throughout its history, TBA has acted as a 
watchdog to report zoning violations that threaten the character and 
quality of life in the neighborhood.
  The Turtle Bay Association's 45 years of positive results have 
provided an excellent example of the ways in which the commitment of 
concerned citizens can truly make a difference for an entire community.
  In recognition of these outstanding achievements, I ask my colleagues 
to join me in honoring the Turtle Bay Association on the occasion of 
its 45th Anniversary.

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