STATEN ISLAND NEIGHBORHOODS: WEST SHORE

News & events from New Springville, Travis, Bulls Head and more

The city Health Department has announced plans to spray selected areas of Staten Island's West Shore for mosquitoes from Wednesday through Friday, from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., weather permitting.

Areas expected to be sprayed are: Arlington, Chelsea, Old Place, Bloomfield, the former Fresh Kills landfill, La Tourette Park and Saw Mill Marsh.

The schedule may be delayed by a day if weather interferes, or the spraying could be finished sooner.

"These are marshy, natural areas, which are common breeding grounds for mosquitoes," the Health Department said in a statement to the media. "Due to their size and difficulty to reach by ground vehicles, these areas will be treated with larvicide from a low-flying helicopter.

The Staten Island areas to be sprayed are listed below:

Jamie Lee / Staten Island AdvanceNew Springville residents fear that buses coming in and out of the Yukon Bus Depot aren't concerned enough about safety.

When the Yukon Bus Depot opened in 1981, it brought with it the promise of increased public transportation services that would benefit not only those living in the West Shore, but also those commuting into the area.

Now, though, some local residents say congestion caused by those buses has become a major safety hazard on the streets surrounding the facility.

"This has been going on ever since they did the 'punch through' on Forest Hill Road," noted Vinny Bonomi. "I can't believe that this has been going on so long and never been questioned."

Street construction may have some West Shore residents feeling like they're getting spun 'round and 'round the mulberry bush on Mulberry Avenue, but the city agency behind the project contends that it is both necessary and timely.

Jamie Lee / Staten Island AdvanceSome residents still contend that the Mulberry Avenue project is unclean and unsafe, but DDC contradicts those reports.

Despite a recent outcry from some local residents, the city Department of Design and Construction says construction on Mulberry Avenue is running smoothly and is right on schedule.

Various anonymous complaints noted frequent water main breaks, leading to flooding; unsafe and unkempt construction conditions and cars being blocked into driveways for extended periods of time as some of the main problems.

Jamie Lee / Staten Island Advance

With bocce, basketball and volleyball courts, horseshoe posts, a softball field, a giant outdoor pavilion and a pirate ship playground with a Viking theme, Nansen Park is a virtual mecca for the outdoor enthusiast.

But the true value of the facility cannot be measured in how many fundraisers, weddings and events are held there every year.

For the Sons of Norway, the site is a safe haven for fostering family, friendship and the Norwegian culture.

When the group first started assembling 70 years ago, its members met in a rented hall in West Brighton.

Almost overnight, though, participation spiked and the need for a privately owned space began to become evident.

Jamie Lee / Staten Island AdvanceA contingent of Wednesday's 82 participants crowd around clinic founder Tony O'Donnell, back row, center, for a group shot after finishing for the day.

Budding soccer stars have been taking instruction firsthand from a former Scottish Premier League footballer this week at the College of Staten Island.

And the cost? Free.

That's because Tony O'Donnell -- a native of Glasgow, Scotland, who played for St. Mirren -- has been footing the bill himself.

"This certainly wasn't intended for publicity," said O'Donnell, who moved to Huguenot 15 years ago to be with his wife, Nicole, a native Islander. "I kept it low-key. I didn't really advertise it even. I just told people in clubs and spread it by word of mouth."

Advance photo/Jamie LeeConstruction work on Mulberry Avenue in New Springville has many residents up-in-arms.

Some Mulberry Avenue residents have been feeling the dizzying affects from a construction project that has spun around the once quiet atmosphere of their block.

Earlier this spring, a capital construction project administered by the city's Department of Design and Construction broke ground, and locals say nothing has gone as planned since.

Advance photo/Jamie LeeThis uniquely designed building at the corner of Victory Boulevard and Richmond Avenue houses the American Dental & Medical Center.

Uniquely configured, with an outdated space-age sheen, the silver and red office building at the corner of Richmond Avenue and Victory Boulevard has appeared to be more modern art than functional facility to passers-by.

Perhaps it's the reflective glass windows or the awkwardly-shaped parking lot, but the location gives off a bit of an unoccupied aura.

Advance photo/Anthony DePrimoThe Staten Island Mall in New Springville is home to nearly 200 retail outlets.

Now home to nearly 200 retail outlets, the two-story, T-shaped Staten Island Mall opened 35 years ago in 1973 and underwent a major expansion 15 years ago in 1993.

Today, it is an enormous sprawl of material options and one of the most popular destinations on Staten Island's West Shore.