COLLEGE POINT BOULEVARD

by Kevin Walsh

This pedestrian bridge takes parkgoers between Flushing Meadows Corona Park and the Queens Botanical Garden over College Point Boulevard near Booth Memorial Avenue. The inscription, which appears on both sides of the bridge, has been there for years.

6 comments

Joel Frid September 4, 2012 - 9:32 am

I live a mile from this bridge. A number of years ago, the bridge was rehabilitated and it may have been at the same time the treatment plant nearby was built. Anyway, around that time, the inscriptions appeared!

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Tal Barzilai September 4, 2012 - 4:44 pm

I pass by this bridge every time I go to a Mets game, so I have seen this writing a lot.

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Wm. Grodnick September 4, 2012 - 11:18 pm

Greetings all. Does anyone remember that there was man who use to stand on these bridges
(in Western Queens) dressed in an ‘Uncle Sam’ costume adorn with American Flags from head to toe.
Who is he? Does anyone know anything about him.

CW2 Wm. Grodnick
Bagram, Airfield
Afghanistan

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Sergey Kadinsky September 9, 2012 - 11:04 am

The Flag Man of Queens is Luis, a mild-mannered Ecuadorean immigrant. I think the Queens Tribune once wrote about him. Other local costumed characters include Oswaldo Gomez, the bearded cross-dresser from Jackson Heights, who dyed his dog’s fur and his beard.

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Michael September 6, 2012 - 6:52 pm

I believe this inscription was placed shortly after 9/11

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Christine July 24, 2014 - 7:42 pm

So his name is Luis! I met him once as I rode my bike across one of the pedestrian bridges from Ditmars Blvd to the marina path. Greeted him enthusiastically as I rode past, and he seemed surprised. Haven’t seen him in quite some time, hope he’s okay.

He was interviewed and said that his purpose was simply to “spread joy.” Good for him, it works!

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