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Q&A with Rockaways resident William Smith

By Hesper Desloovere | Special to amNewYork

August 30, 2007

William Smith, a lifelong resident of the Rockaways, has grown and sold tomatoes out of a lot on Beach 92nd St. for the last five years but is being pushed out to make way for condos. (Photo by Dave Sanders / August 29, 2007)

Retired school bus driver William Smith sells homegrown tomatoes on Beach 92nd in Rockaway Beach.

How long have you lived in the area?

I was born and raised on Rockaway Beach. I've lived within three blocks of here all my life -- Beach 91st, Beach 92nd, Beach 88th. Four blocks, I guess.

What's so great about the Rockaways?

We're right close to the beach. Summer down here is beautiful. I worked in Astoria and couldn't wait to get that breeze on the ol' homestead. You don't get the breeze in Ozone Park like here. People think it gets too cold here, but it's 7-10 degrees warmer than in the city in winter.

What's your favorite local spot?

Right here. As a kid, down at the beach -- surfing, all that. Now I hang out with my ex-wife and our daughters down the block on her porch, barbecue, swim in the pool.

What can you do here that you can't do anywhere else?

This place was a jungle, but we cleaned it up. The property belongs to someone else, but when he saw how we'd fixed it up, he said, "Can I ask you a question? Can I get tomatoes?" I told him, "anytime you want."

Has it changed much over the years?

It has changed, very much so. There used to be a public school, P.S. 44, across the street; new condos are there now. Everywhere you look, they're building condos.

How is development affecting the neighborhood?

Just the other day, a surveyor with a tripod came and said they're gonna build over this garden. He said I've got 'til Monday -- they're coming to test the soil -- to get all my tomatoes out. We're gonna go outside, lie down, and say we're not moving. I'm hoping that I can have two more weeks. We had our run -- next year, we'll find another spot. I've done it for five years; I think we did a good job.

What do you miss most about the old days?

I miss Playland.