On Monday, hundreds of residents and elected officials attended the grand opening of the temporary headquarters of the Alley Pond Environmental Center.
The center has moved to 224-75 76th Avenue in Oakland Gardens while its building on Northern Boulevard in Douglaston/Little Neck is being renovated and expanded. That project will take about two years to complete.
The large crowd at the grand opening enjoyed fruit smoothies, vegetarian Bengali cuisine, interactions with animals and an array of activities.
Attendees included Assemblyman Ed Braunstein, Councilman Paul Vallone, Councilman Barry Grodenchik, District Attorney Melinda Katz and Acting Borough President Sharon Lee.
APEC, a nonprofit environmental education organization, educates children and adults, protects and preserves Alley Pond Park.