David M. Quintana
Community Activist
Ozone Park
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: David Quintana, 51, has been a resident of Ozone Park for the last 39 years. He is an active member of many community organizations including Community Board 10, the Highland Park/Ridgewood Reservoir Education and Preservation Project, South Queens Democratic Club, Borough President Parent Advisory Council, and Richmond Hill Historical Society. Quintana also maintains a blog, Lost in the Ozone, dedicated to the schools, politics, environment and history of southern Queens.Quintana is involved in community affairs because it’s important to him that quality of life is maintained and improved. “It’s important that people become civically involved so that we can let elected officials know what’s happening and hopefully they’ll do what they’re elected to do and take care of the people.”
PERSONAL: Quintana is a single parent and lives with his two teenage daughters Kayla, 17 and Madeline, 15. He works from home as a salesman.
BIGGEST CHALLENGE: The biggest challenge Quintana is facing is the Parks Department and its planned renovation of the Ridgewood reservoir. “Parks wants to knock down thousands of trees and put in artificial turf. I would like to see them better the community by using the $50 million they have earmarked for that to basically keep the reservoir in its natural condition and improve the current baseball fields and parks that have been neglected in Cypress Hills for the last 30-35 years. We are literally fighting City Hall on this.”
FAVORITE MEMORY: One memory stands out in Quintana’s mind. “A few years ago my daughter Madeline and I went up to Albany to lobby about the schools. We did a yellow school bus tour sponsored by The Alliance for Quality Education. She was the voice of the students and made some very solid arguments on behalf of the public school students in New York. We stopped at several locations throughout the state and she spoke to the press at each location about the problems in the schools. I was very proud of her.”
INSPIRATION: Quintana gets inspiration from his parents. “My dad was involved in the community and was one of the founding members of the Woodhaven/Richmond Hill Ambulance Corp. He was also a Legion Commander of the American Legion Post on 101st Avenue. My mom has always been an inspiration in my life too.”
PROUDEST MOMENT: “Witnessing the birth of my daughters. It’s an awesome experience.”
— Steven Ortiz
