“I don’t know if it was a hit and run or not,” said resident Ciaran Staunton, referring to the far-flung fowl. “The feathers were all on him and he was in a bag.”
   But all joking aside, the unsightly two-block parcel adjacent to Sunnyside Park has been a serious problem that Staunton is determined to fix.
   “This is the garbage we have had to pick up weekly for nine years,” he said pointing to a photo of the rubbish. “It’s an absolute disgrace.”
   For a long time the land had been the site of illegal dumping, and no one wanted to take responsibility for cleaning it up. The city argued that the land belonged to the park, while the park organization pointed the finger at the city. In order to clarify who owns the property, the Department of Design and Construction is working on a survey that will yield a more recent map.
   Staunton was particularly outraged that neighborhood children, including his own, have been playing so close to such an awful place, and he got City Council Speaker Christine Quinn to take notice.
   “You can’t have a street that backs up a park, near major housing, and have it be dangerous and unsightly,” Quinn said. “Eventually, if we were to leave this street what it was, it would affect the park, it would affect the neighborhood and it would erode what is great about Sunnyside.”
   Residents indicated that not only was the narrow street dangerous because of the filth and dense vegetation that spilled onto the road, but the lack of lighting and a proper sidewalk made it especially difficult for pedestrians to share the road with two-way street traffic.
   Now after talks with the city’s Transportation, Sanitation and Parks departments, cleanup efforts have begun. The area is still cluttered with dense and unruly plant life, but it is already a vast improvement from what existed just a short time ago, community members say.
   In addition to rubbish removal, the land will be getting a complete makeover that will include the addition of gardens and walkways. Congressman Joseph Crowley is allocating federal funds to have additional streetlights and security cameras installed. Anyone caught illegally dumping trash will receive a fine of up to $20,000. The Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit is supplying topsoil and trees, in addition to helping remove some of the debris. The street will also be changed from two-way to one-way.
   “I would avoid walking or even driving down here at night because the area is so dangerous and unsightly,” said Patrick O’Reilly, who has lived in Sunnyside for more than 20 years. “I think the improvements being proposed here will really make this an area of safe passage for residents of the neighborhood.”