The outer walls of the Pulaski Street parking garage have been graced with a pop of color, thanks to an initiative by Age-Friendly Glen Cove. This project incorporated an intergenerational approach between the Glen Cove Youth Bureau and members of the Glen Cove Senior Center, who worked together to enhance the downtown scenery.
In late July, Senior Center members Posey Heisig and Evelyn Kandel collaborated with the Glen Cove Youth Bureau’s Seasonal Youth Employment Program (SYEP) to paint a decorative mural along the base of the parking garage, adding beauty and color to an otherwise drab area. Over the course of the day, the seniors and students painted an array of flowers, designed by Friends of the Glen Cove Youth Board member Jane Fein.
According to Jacki Yonick, youth program coordinator for SYEP, the program’s Green Teams have been painting summer murals since 2016, when the “Glen Cove” design was painted on Arterial Highway. In 2021, Fein began volunteering her time during the summer to design and lead mural projects with the Youth Bureau, completing murals at the lower and upper stands at Maccarone Stadium and the back wall at the Senior Center.
A member of the Age-Friendly sub-committee on Outdoor Spaces and Buildings, Yonick said she was at a meeting when the idea of painting murals came up. Because of her experience with them over the years, she took on this project and invited the Senior Center members to paint with the Youth Bureau this summer.
“This is by far the most beautiful mural we have worked on,” Yonick said.
The Age-Friendly Intergenerational mural is a five-panel floral mural along the base of the garage. Fein was inspired by the flowers in her garden for this design. After the flowers were sketched out in chalk, the painters worked on the hunter green backdrop, followed by the layer of bright oranges, corals and yellows that were blended for the hibiscus, black-eyed Susans and impatiens to pop.
“It was a pleasure to design and execute the summer murals,” Fein said. “Seeing the pride in the eyes of the Seasonal Youth Employment Program children as well as the seniors, make the experience that much sweeter. In addition to beautifying Glen Cove one mural at a time, my hope is to spark an interest and love of art for the children and seniors alike.”
Student artists involved in the project are Max Acosta, Lundynn Barnes, Brody Blackburn, Mayra Chandler, Cooper Damiano, Lyanna Ermmarino, Sebastian Haluch, Paige Jimenez, Luca Mihailescu, Yandel Munoz, Ashley Rice, Ayana Stevens. The Green Team is led by supervisors Donnie Ingegno and Mykael Pajuelo.
“We are grateful for Deputy Mayor Donna McNaughton for pointing out this space to beautify,” Yonick said, “as well as to Mayor Pam Panzenbeck for always promoting the great artwork that pops up; to our youth, supervisors and seniors who, even on the hottest days, came out to improve a space in our community that was bland and boring; and of course to Jane for the vision (and patience!) to enhance our Glen Cove community.”
Established in 2017 through the Glen Cove Senior Center, the Age-Friendly program encourages policy and planning that enhances Glen Cove’s empathy and support of the aging population and in doing so, improves the quality of life for all generations. Glen Cove received Age-Friendly status from AARP in 2019 and also received the prestigious distinction of being an Age-Friendly Center of Excellence by New York State – the only one on Long Island.
Age-Friendly continues to grow as a community of people who care and support one another – creating programs, policies and connections that engage people with each other and the environment. The goal is to foster a community where people can continue to experience joy and fulfillment as they grow up and grow older.
“Seeing fresh, beautiful designs appear on highly visible areas is refreshing and adds to the appeal of downtown,” said Jill Nossa, executive director of the Glen Cove Business Improvement District, and a member of Age-Friendly Glen Cove advisory board. “Projects like this not only utilize local talent and bring generations together during the project’s creation, but also provide the community with something beautiful and unique that everyone can enjoy.”
