Group To Paint 'Problems' With Forest Hills Underpass On Mural

FOREST HILLS, QUEENS -- By the time its cleanup is finished, a Forest Hills underpass will be 'wearing' its problems in a new way.

A local group by the name of Go29! is recruiting community members to join them in clearing out the Yellowstone Boulevard underpass between Austin and Burn streets on July 15. But before that, they plan to map out a mural illustrating the underpass' problems that will go on its walls.

"This project is about cleaning up Yellowstone and dealing with some of the problems at that underpass using art," organizers wrote on the event's Meetup page.

Go29! is a program under Rego Park-based nonprofit RPGA Studio that aims to foster volunteer work and community beautification through creative outlets.

RPGA Studio founder Yvonne Shortt years ago worked on similar neighborhood cleanups of the 63rd Drive underpass, where she also helped organize a community mural. Shortt's most recent neighborhood project was a community stamp design and letter scavenger hunt designed to promote local businesses, Patch previously reported.

Shortt was not immediately available for comment on the Yellowstone underpass cleanup, but previously told Patch the goal of her nonprofit is to "promote businesses, beautify our community and get people to engage with each other."

The goal of the cleanup is to build on work already done to beautify the underpass, including the recent removal of "two burnt out cars the walls," she wrote on the event page.

The group's latest mural design and cleanup will be held June 15 from 1 to 4 p.m. Volunteers will meet at 112th precinct at 68-40 Austin St. for "collaborative design session" on the mural from 1 to 2:30 p.m. and head to the underpass for a cleanup from 2:30 to 4 p.m.

It's unclear what kind of "problems" the community mural will illustrate with the underpass or how they will be expressed. The only clue lies in volunteers' instructions to bring a photo or illustration of a fruit or vegetable from their culture to create a stencil for the project.

Lead photo via Google Maps/November 2017