Goldfish Swim School cuts ribbon in Atlas Park

By Jessica Meditz

jmeditz@queensledger.com

Goldfish Swim School staff, local leaders and community members gathered at the new location to celebrate the ribbon cutting.

Goldfish Swim School commemorated the recent grand opening of its Glendale location inside The Shops at Atlas Park with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Nov. 2.

Staff members, community supporters, local elected officials and even their mascot, Bubbles, joined in on the celebration of the neighborhood’s new addition. The Glendale location marks the third Goldfish Swim School in Queens, with the others located in Astoria and Flushing.

Dedicated to teaching children between the ages of four months and 12 years of age the life-saving skill of swimming, Goldfish Swim School strives to do so in a fun, friendly and safe environment.

Goldfish Swim School’s mascot, Bubbles.

Parents in the community have expressed their need for a local swim school for years, according to Rafael Gonzalez, the location’s general manager.

“We’re very prideful that we’re physically here, to help with the mall and to service the community,” he said. “We’re very happy to fill the need of the community, and hope to continue working with community outreach, our local partners here, and have fun in the water.”

Gonzalez added that Goldfish Swim School operates on a proprietary corporate swim structure, meaning that all swim instructors are taught how to properly teach their swim curriculum.

The team focuses on teaching the Science of SwimPlay®, which involves interactive swim lessons encouraging education and skill-building in a play-based environment.

They offer swim education to children of all experience levels, from parent and child classes to Swim Force, which Gonzalez described as a “mock interpretation of a swim team” for their most advanced swimmers.

Held in partnership with the Queens Chamber of Commerce, President and CEO Tom Grech emphasized that the addition of a new business in the borough expands job opportunities for residents and further meets the needs of the community.

Goldfish Swim School currently has 35 employees and seeks to expand to 50.

Atlas Park General Manager Peter DeLucia congratulated them on their opening and noted that Goldfish went through a difficult process before opening on Oct. 6, citing DOB-related issues, construction delays and the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s a great team here,” DeLucia said. “I’ve been very impressed with their operations; they’re great partners.”

According to the CDC, more children ages one to four die from drowning than any other cause of death in the U.S.

New York State Senator Joseph Addabbo and Councilman Robert Holden both stressed the importance of water safety for young children, and thanked Goldfish Swim School for the valuable services and skills they provide to the district.

From left to right: Addabbo, Grech, Gonzalez, Holden, DeLucia

“Up in Albany, we have about three pieces of legislation that talk about water safety in terms of saving a life,” Addabbo said. “Somebody could drown in just three inches of water. We’re all about fun, but just as we look at water safety here, you can also be responsible for saving a life.”

Gonzalez said that the swim school sees between 300 and 350 children within a given day, and that enrollment is up to 1,840 memberships, with anticipation to hit 2,000 in the coming weeks.

The facility offers an indoor swimming pool heated year-round, a state-of-the-art water purification system, a viewing area for parents, modern training equipment and tools, a private space for parties and events, an in-house snack bar and shop and a hair drying station, swimsuit dryers and private changing rooms.

Goldfish Swim School’s Atlas Park location is open from 3:45 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. It is located where The Fair used to be, across from HomeGoods and to the left of Ulta Beauty.

Parents can visit their website or call 929-294-7489 to register their young one for classes.

Free concert and car show attract crowds at Atlas Park

By Stephanie Meditz

news@queensledger.com

White Wedding, mostly an ‘80s cover band, treated Atlas Park to their ‘90s set.

On Tuesday, The Shops at Atlas Park took the Glendale community back in time with a ‘90s concert and classic car show.

While cover band “White Wedding” performed hits from back in the day in the penultimate show of Atlas Park’s Concerts on the Green series, volunteers from the East Coast Car Association displayed their vintage vehicles.

Although White Wedding is mostly an ‘80s cover band, the evening’s setlist consisted of ‘90s sensations, including Britney Spears, The Spice Girls, Sublime and Alanis Morissette.

The band also dressed for the occasion, decked out in flannel shirts and Dr. Martens boots.

Emily McNamara belted all the ‘90s girl power anthems.

Although the members of White Wedding come from different states on the east coast, they frequently perform in New York.

White Wedding was voted “Best Cover Band in the Boro” of Queens for the third year in a row.

“We play in Queens, we play New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, all around the tri-state area,” David Artiaga, front vocalist of White Wedding, said.

In July, the band performed their ‘80s set at Juniper Valley Park.

Artiaga, whose voice effortlessly resembled those of numerous ‘90s icons, has never formally studied music.

“I was just born with talent,” he joked. “Never had a lesson in my life, and it just seemed to work out.”

Emily McNamara, also a front vocalist for White Wedding, has been involved in theater for most of her life.

“It’s a good group. Everyone brings a good piece,” Artiaga said.

White Wedding plays private parties, corporate events and weddings throughout the tri-state area.

For bookings, email info@whiteweddingband.com or visit www.whiteweddingband.com.

The band is also on Instagram (@whiteweddingband) and Twitter (@whitewedding80s).

While the ‘90s music played, the East Coast Car Association held a classic car show in the parking lot at Atlas Park.

Harold Mecabe promotes the East Coast Car Association’s 24th annual toy drive in November.

Established in 1999 by Eddie Walter, the East Coast Car Association hosts car shows and cruise nights to raise money for St. Mary’s Children’s Hospital in Bayside.

Harold Mecabe, master of ceremony, has been involved with the club for 22 years.

After Walter passed away in 2007, he and other members unanimously decided to continue to support St. Mary’s Children’s Hospital to honor Walter’s legacy.

“We have a handful of members in the club, and all the people here support us,” Mecabe said. “They know what we do and they help us. Without those people, we would actually be nothing…And we will continue doing what we’re doing as long as we possibly can.”

In November, the club will host its 24th annual toy run.

“We will leave from the Forest Park bandshell area. The NYPD will shut down the Jackie Robinson Highway, the Grand Central Parkway and the Clearview Expressway to give us direct access to St. Mary’s Hospital,” Mecabe said. “At that time, we will present whatever proceeds that we collect during the course of the year to St. Mary’s.”

The East Coast Car Association has raised over $250,000 and $40,000 worth of toys since it was founded.

The club has hosted two car shows at Atlas Park this summer, both of which occurred on the same night as a concert.

Among the classic cars displayed was a 1979 Buick Riviera.

“It was just coordinated that way, which is good because it brings out more people,” Mecabe said.

To join or donate to the East Coast Car Association, visit their website at https://eccatoysfortots.org.

The Shops at Atlas Park has hosted its annual Concerts on the Green series since 2013.

General manager Peter DeLucia has found that the concerts not only show people all that Atlas Park has to offer, but also provide a fun, free night out for the neighborhood.

“It’s just a way to engage the community,” he said. “Have them come out, see what we’ve got going on at Atlas Park, like the roller skating rink and some of the new stores.”

The concert, as well as other concerts and movie nights at Atlas Park, was sponsored by Main Street Radiology.

Surgey Santiago, a marketing agent from Main Street Radiology, said that these events are great opportunities to inform the community about the essential services offered, such as X-rays, ultrasounds and MRIs.

“Since we sponsor The Shops at Atlas Park, we’ll give knowledge about the facility and what we do,” she said. “We just want to attract the neighborhood, let them know that we’re here.”

Main Street Radiology recently opened a fifth location on Cooper Avenue in Glendale, right down the street from Atlas Park.

Pizza Dance to hold family day at Atlas Park

Org to raise funds for trade school scholarships

By Jessica Meditz

jmeditz@queensledger.com

Founded in 1997 by Tony Modica, owner of Prima Pasta & Cafe in Howard Beach, the Pizza Dance Foundation prides itself on giving back to the community in various ways.

This Sunday, the foundation will host a family day at the Shops at Atlas Park from 2-6 p.m.

The event will take place in the beer garden area of Manor Oktoberfest, where there will be food, music, giveaways, henna tattoos, and face painting.

Guests will also be provided with entertainment for the afternoon, including the East Coast Classic Car Show, magic by Stephen Roberts, and music by Emilio and Kathy Leon featuring Modica and other musical guests.

Tony Modica, founder of Pizza Dance Foundation and owner of Prima Pasta in Howard Beach.

Local elected officials NYS Senator Joseph Addabbo, Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar and Councilman Robert Holden are expected to attend the event to show their support.

Leon, administrator of the Pizza Dance Foundation, said the group aims to do at least three fundraisers per year for different community causes.

The family day at Atlas Park seeks to raise $2,500 for trade school scholarships and the Back to School Supplies Distribution in August, which they participate in annually.

“The basis of the foundation is to go from community to community and spread love, peace, and unity to everyone,” Leon said.

Being a professional singer herself, Leon said that a large part of their mission is to provide fun and entertainment to people in the community to bring joy to their lives.

“We just try to bring everyone together,” she continued. “I’ve gone everywhere, from community centers to nursing homes to perform, and it just makes people so much happier.”

Leon said that anyone who believes in the Pizza Dance Foundation’s mission and would like to get involved can contact her via email at kathleenleon12@gmail.com, or by phone 1 (833) 422-8522.

Fill the Form for Events, Advertisement or Business Listing