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Brooklyn Daily
To the editor,
Bravo to Councilmen Chaim Deutsch (D–Brighton Beach) and Mark Treyger (D-Coney Island) for advocating for a wooden, rather than a concrete Boardwalk. It seems to be a no-brainer that wood is superior to concrete with regard to safety, sustainability, and aesthetics.
A concrete sidewalk to replace the iconic Boardwalk is a travesty. I hope they are successful in their efforts to bring about a moratorium on concrete. Rena Rice
Park Slope
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To the editor,
Thank you for covering the story of the historic Coney Island Boardwalk and its fate (“Pols hope to crack concrete B’walk plans,” May 18).
The last thing we city-dwellers need when we escape our own concrete jungles and head for the seashore is to see more of that unfriendly, unattractive material. Our sandal-clad feet, our bicycles, our wheelchairs, our dogs, have all appreciated this wonderful Boardwalk for many decades and don’t want to see it ruined by a holdover plan from the old mayoral administration.
Good for Robb Burstein for championing a real wooden boardwalk made from local, sustainable woods, and for Councilmembers Deutsch and Treyger for stepping forth on behalf of all of us. And good riddance to those misbegotten “improvements.” J.K. Canepa
Sheepshead Bay
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To the editor,
It’s wonderful to hear that Councilmen Deutsch and Treyger have collaborated together to stop the plans to replace the wooden planks of the Coney Island Boardwalk with a strip of concrete. Also, we are seeing the connection between representatives from Brighton Beach and Coney Island working together to address the issues in their communities.
Let’s talk about creating a similar team-teaching approach to connecting our schools in Brighton Beach and Coney Island. These schools are in the same school district and have the same local government officials, but we do not have a sense of synergy or connectedness in our local schools.
We need to create a school district alliance that addresses the needs of the schools and their students, with administrators, teachers, parents, students, government officials, and business owners working together to plan, conduct, and evaluate the needs and wants of our schools. It’s all about engaging our communities in educating our students. Scott Krivitsky
The writer is a teacher at PS 188 in Coney Island.
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To the editor,
It’s ironic that the Parks Department, the very agency charged with maintaining and protecting the Boardwalk, has contributed the most to severely damaging it! Now it wants to deliver its death knell by concrete-slabbing it over!
For years, local residents have requested that Parks stop the unnecessary use of multi-ton vehicles running at high speeds on what is a pedestrian walkway with a fragile structure. We’ve suggested alternate vehicles, as well as running whatever vehicles are used on the sand. Ferrying Parks’ employees from one location on the Boardwalk to another with vehicles at speeds suggesting an emergency, a common procedure, is completely unforgivable. So too is Parks’ intransigence regarding changing anything about the way they do things. The suggestion to line up trash barrels near the sand side of the Boardwalk, and run the small vehicles with articulated arms that they have, on the sand next to the Boardwalk which can then reach over and collect trash without any impact on the boards, has been similarly shunned.
Parks’ stuck-on-concrete stance seemed curious, with the money trail its guiding principle. Community input has been devalued when it disagrees with their position. Kudos to Councilmen Deutsch and Treyger for valuing the voices of the constituents they represent, and for advocating for what the community has said it wants and needs. Properly caring for and maintaining a world-class Boardwalk requires that a world-class agency be in charge. Perhaps the Parks Department is not up to the task and responsibility.
Name withheld upon request
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To the editor,
I was thrilled to see that Councilmen Chaim Deutsch and Mark Treyger are doing everything they can to protect the historic Boardwalk from a piecemeal destruction by a short-sighted Bloomberg administration. It boggles the mind that the previous concrete structural changes were pushed through without approval from the community, and more importantly, without conducting any safety or environmental studies.
Clearly these decisions have a huge impact on the people who live there and actually experience the consequences. The potential impacts of any change must be carefully studied before implementation, not after. It’s just common sense. We have a new mayor — time for a new approach!Christianna Nelson
Park Slope
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To the editor,
Applause are in order for Councilmen Deutsch and Treyger for their willingness to listen, investigate, understand, and take action in supporting the local residents who have been advising for an all-wood Boardwalk.
Folks who want concrete are understandably short-sighted, as they lack information on the issue. It is true that the wood has not been maintained, but that doesn’t make the case that concrete is better. What it makes is a clear case to the mayor and the comptroller that more maintenance funding in the budget is necessary, and that vehicles must be prohibited from the Boardwalk. We understand that a police presence is necessary for public safety. However, their vehicles, unless under emergency conditions, must drive very slowly not only for wood safety but for children, adults and pets. Absolutely no sanitation or maintenance vehicles should be allowed on the boardwalk.
Parks’ concrete pilot project by Ocean Parkway in Brighton Beach makes it alarmingly clear that concrete causes more damage to the area than wood. Wood increased the strength of our infrastructure, but the concrete took away that protective barrier leaving on-going damage to this day. Parks also said that wood other than rainforest was not available, but tree farmers went to the Design Commission to say that they can provide wood equal to what is there now.
Keeping the infrastructure safe is an important concern. My arthritic feet scream when I take a health walk down my beautiful Boardwalk and meet up with the concrete. Thank you, Councilmen Chaim Deutsch and Mark Treyger for being strong advocates for the citizens. You are a breath of fresh air.Arlene BrennerBrighton Beach
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To the editor,
I have lived my entire life in Brighton Beach and the Boardwalk is a God-send for me. I have spent many hours there getting away from the concrete and asphalt streets. It is an attraction for many people from outside our community, and has proven good for businesses.
It is very disheartening to realize that the city to save on maintenance costs is planning to replace the wooden surface with concrete, rendering it far less attractive to those who use it. Fewer individuals will be inclined to use it and there will be a lesser flow of business into the community, affecting establishments along the Boardwalk and the surrounding area.
Some municipalities have had boardwalks that were converted to concrete, but came to realize their undesirability due to damage from major storms and community pressure to restore the wood.
We request the city call a moratorium on further conversion until a more thorough study of the issue can be undertaken.William ZuckerBrighton Beach
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To the editor,
Let’s save the Boardwalk from extinction. Concrete is not the way to go, as is proven across the states. If the city would have stopped neglecting the wooden walk years ago, no one would even think of changing it.
Bloomberg and his buddies wanted what they wanted for the shore, while a block away holes are opening up in the street. They couldn’t wait to move the poor folk out and the rich in.
Parks and Sanitation vehicles should enter at the beginning of Brighton 13th Street or from under the Boardwalk. Police cars do not need to be on the Boardwalk. Foot police on the Boardwalk with police cars patrolling the streets would work fine. It’s not like a cop car can take off chasing someone on the boardwalk. Clare Kopelakis
Gravesend