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Residents Say Youth Football Program Is Causing Dangerous Parking Situation In Ridgewood, Queens

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Residents are blaming a youth football program for clogging the street and endangering their community.

People who live in the Ridgewood section of Queens told CBS2's Jessica Schneider that double- and triple- parked cars are shutting down streets, blocking fire hydrants, and sitting on sidewalks every night.

"They're in my driveway," Ed Grayson said.

Grayson has lived on the same block of 65th Place in Ridgewood, Queens for 40 years. He said that kids have been playing football across the street at Mafera Park for just as long, but that parents and their parking have only gotten worse.

"It's a dead-end block and they think they're going to come up here and find parking. There's none. So they double park instead. They double park, triple park, quadruple park, park on the sidewalks, and park in front of the only hydrant on the block," Grayson said.

The fields were constructed on a dead-end street with only one way in and no lots for anyone to park in.

CBS2's cameras saw parents pulling onto grass and blocking a hydrant. They say they don't have an alternative.

"People are saying it's a big problem with the cars coming in here, parents trying to pick up their kids. I do understand, I'm a homeowner, but at the end of the day we have to pick up our children here. They're playing here, we have permits for these parks here, and there's no place for us to park," Lou Gonzalez said.

The NYPD has written 31 tickets since August 31. Even the head of the youth football team has sounded the warning.

"I've been telling them, can you please cooperate with us. Please do not park here," Neil O'Donnell, Queens Falcons Football League President, said.

Parents are still taking pictures of the problems and said that it hasn't been fixed.

"Start towing cars away, maybe then they'll learn that way," Miguel Salazar said.

They are now making a plea to get their block back.

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