Still wearing light jackets in the end of May, Save Coney protesters huddled around on the boardwalk chanting their usual slogans and rants to save Coney Island's amusements from being swallowed up by plans to bring mostly the same everywhere-else-America to Coney Island. Many are now blaming the city as well as Thor Equities for not giving a hoot about what makes Coney Island...Coney Island.In the NY1 video segment one protester, Angie Potani expresses herself:
"Why do people love Coney Island? Not for strip mall, not for condominiums,” said protester Angie Pontani. “They love it for the amusement and the history and when we redevelop we have to focus on preserving that. And the major change in the city’s plan is now to reduce the amusement district."
Lynn Kelly gives her retort:
"I think they believe were taking away the amusement area which is frankly inaccurate,” said Lynn Kelly of the Coney Island Development Corporation. “We are more then doubling the existing size of what’s out there today and we are providing uses in and around it that will compliment an amusement area and bring people here year round, such as restaurants, entertainment, retail bowling alleys, movie theaters."All in all change is what we need here in Coney Island - but the right change. Perhaps the city should rethink the whole idea and forget about big business in Coney Island. And instead, should create some sort of template to allow the little guy to thrive here.
Click here to view video.
You can follow the discussion on the Coney Island USA message board.
2 comments:
Since thor tore down the go karts, kiddy park, batting cages etc. the Amusement District has been drastically reduced. So, If you are just considering deno's and astroland and comparing that to the area that they've zoned as parkland plus the "Entertainment Retail" section (which, Im sure she is considering "amusement" and it is not) then her statement might be correct. That area may be twice the size of deno's and astroland. but entertainment retail doesn't count as amusement and the reduced amusement area of today (since thor tore down all of those attractions) should not be used as a comparison for all that Coney Island could be.
Coney Island is and always should be an amusement park...we don't need another piece of NYC history falling to generic chain store/cookie cutter condo "development." To cut the amusement zone from 15 acres to 9 acres (which was already a compromise) is a joke. They should build more rides and give local businesses (who've kept it going, even amidst it's current state of bulldozed areas) a shot at it's future, by providing them with leases. Save as much of the historic buildings/amusements as possible & build upon that legacy. America's first amusement park needs to be an amusement park.
Carnival Stalls, NOT Mega Malls!
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