Frank Toomey was a community leader in Middle Village, perhaps best known for helping open the walkway that now bears his name.

Frank and his wife Rosemarie were among the first to buy one of the attached, two-family homes that were built on 75th Street between Caldwell and Eliot Avenues in 1961. At the time, Juniper Valley Park was a swamp, and there was a small farm at the north end of the block that had horses, chickens, and goats. When the area was developed, builders included a narrow walkway leading to 74th Street, with a path to Eliot branching off between what was a gas station and the railroad property that runs along 75th Street there.

Frank's sons, Paul and Gary, and their friends on the block used this path to walk to Our Lady of Hope Grammar School, and to run errands for their families. Frank would use the path to catch the bus on Eliot on his way to work.

Then the gas station decided to seal off the walkway, citing safety–and litigious–concerns, understandably. Frank, whose friends called him "Buddy," stepped in. Though not much for civic participation previously, he found this issue compelling, and wanted to find a solution. He helped form the 75th Street Block Association to address the issue, serving as its secretary. Navigating local politics, dealing with the railway company, and coming up against one impassioned opposing neighbor who didn't want a new walkway right in front of his home, the Block Association eventually struck a compromise and got a lease to a portion of the railway's property (away from that opposing neighbor's home), promising to insure and maintain it.

After 10 months of civic education, on Halloween Day, 1998, Frank joined about 50-100 of his neighbors, some dressed in costume, to celebrate the 150-foot walkway opening. Our Lady of Hope's Monsignor Sivillo Pastor, a friend of Frank's, stopped by to bless the walkway even though he was running late to a wedding. This path led to more than just Eliot Avenue. It helped neighbors connect, and those relationships continued to grow. The Block Association held an annual hot dog block party, complete with rides and recipe exchanges. Frank had also started a neighborhood newsletter, initially to share information about the walkway, but later to discuss news about neighbors.

Frank passed away at the age of 83. The 75th Street Block Association unveiled the co-named street sign in September 2010.