Name this park

Bridge and Tunnel Park in Long Island City needs a new name. Photo via the Parks Department.

By Jonathan Sperling

This park in Long Island City could have your name on it.

City officials announced a public contest aimed at gleaning community input for the renaming of the neighborhood’s Bridge and Tunnel Park, named in 1979.

The park, located at 50th Avenue between 11th Street and 11th Place, takes its name from its proximity to the Pulaski Bridge and the Queens-Midtown Tunnel, which connects Queens to Brooklyn and Manhattan, respectively.

But Parks Department Commissioner Mitchell Silver and LIC Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer think the park deserves a new name — one more reflective of the neighborhood that it’s been in since 1957.

“Parks should reflect their communities, and we want a name that reflects the past and present of Long Island City,” Silver said. “This month, we’re asking New Yorkers to get creative and tell us the name that they think this park deserves.”

Those who think they have a winning name in mind can submit their pick online until Dec. 31. Each submission will be reviewed and ranked by a panel of local experts. The winning submitter will be chosen by Silver and contacted by email sometime in early 2020.

The Parks Department notes that submissions should abide by the following guidelines:

• The name should be a positive and meaningful reflection of the community.

•  If you are suggesting that the park should be re-named after an individual, the individual should fit the following criteria:

  • They were New York City residents or natives of particular importance to NYC and/or community surrounding the park.

  • They were particularly instrumental to the design, development or programming of the park.

  • If honoring a deceased individual, please allow a respectful amount of time from passing and help us understand this individual’s impact in the community or connection to the park.