[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 51 (Monday, March 25, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E337]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       IN HONOR OF ANGELA GARVIN

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 25, 2019

  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I, along with 
Representative Ocasio Cortez, rise to recognize Angela Garvin, who 
received a women's history month award from us and from Assemblywoman 
Aravella Simotas at a ceremony in Queens on March 22nd. Ms. Garvin, who 
is now 12 years old, is being celebrated for her innovative proposal to 
develop rain gardens as part of the renovation of Astoria Park. These 
gardens will improve sustainability and make good use of stormwater.
  Although Angela Garvin was just 10 years old when she developed her 
plan, her idea attracted the attention of New York City Parks 
Commissioner Mitchell Silver, who decided to incorporate it into the 
design for Astoria Park, which is in the process of being renovated as 
part of the Anchor Parks initiative. Commissioner Silver said that he 
was ``blown away by what she wrote about the importance of our future, 
about sustainability and how we have to do the right thing here in 
Astoria Park.'' The 60 acre park was selected to receive $30 million of 
funding for major capital improvements. Ms. Garvin's rain gardens will 
be part of phase 1 of the renovation plan, which calls for the 
reconstruction of 12 acres of the park, including its track and field 
facilities and improvements in the surrounding area, including new 
seating areas, an adult fitness area, pathway realignments, bleachers 
and plantings. The plan includes the development of site drainage and 
grading improvements, including Ms. Garvin's rain gardens to collect 
and treat stormwater, as well as a detention system under the synthetic 
turf field to reduce discharge into the East River.
  Rain gardens are low-impact, sustainable landscaping that are 
designed to mitigate the effects of rainfall on impermeable surfaces. 
The gardens slow the flow of stormwater with plants that can absorb 
excess nutrients and filter pollutants.
  Since she was very young, Ms. Garvin has wanted to improve the 
facilities in her community. When she heard that Astoria Park would be 
renovated, she became passionate about the idea of incorporating 
sustainability into the plans for the park. She began attending 
meetings with her grandmother, Mary Baker.
  The oldest of three daughters, Ms. Garvin is a 4th generation native 
of Astoria who attended PS 122 from kindergarten to 5th grade, just as 
her mother, grandmother and great-grandfather did before her. She now 
attends The Cathedral School of St. John the Divine in Manhattan for 
middle school.
  Madam Speaker, we ask our colleagues to join us in celebrating the 
creativity and vision of Angela Garvin who persuaded the Parks 
Department to use a sustainable design in its reimagining of Astoria 
Park. Her forward thinking will benefit generations of New Yorkers and 
can be implemented at parks around the city.

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