The fate of a small plot of land next to St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Jackson Heights has come to a critical moment for neighbors concerned about the community’s shortage of green space. Church leadership, citing urgent financial pressures, says selling the yard to a private developer would fund programming and maintenance, but residents and elected officials are urging the Diocese to sell the property to the New York City Parks Department instead, creating a pocket park for the community.

“I am definitely in support of green spaces, they are vital,” said Marina Tsaplina at a town hall-style meeting held Tuesday night at PS 212. “Green spaces are severely lacking. And also, this is really an opportunity to help nurture both ecological education and to create healthy soil and give back t

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