The synopisis: During the Covid pandemic, New York City created an Open Street on 34th Avenue in Jackson Heights and Corona, Queens — which was one of the city’s pandemic epicenter, where thousands died. The Open Street quickly became a lifeline to residents desperate to exercise or socialize in a socially responsible way. But even as the pandemic faded, residents quickly realized that the 34th Avenue Open Street had become an essential amenity in a neighborhood with among the lowest amount of park space per-capita.

Quickly, neighborhood activists rallied and got the administration of then-Mayor Bill de Blasio to commit to a full buildout of the Open Street into its current configuration: Paseo Park, which, as its name suggests, is a 1.5-mile long promenade for cycling, strolling and just connecting with neighbors.