This week, Borough President Marty Markowitzs delivered his 2010 State of the Borough Address. He was sworn in by Mayor Micheal Bloomberg at the Park Slope Armory. He was joined by Deputy Borough President Yvonne NY Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, NYC Comptroller John Liu, NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn, Mayor Bloomberg, and huge audience both guests and honorees for the 2010 address speech as the city's mayor administered the oath of office for BP Markowitz's third term.Among the points of initiatives mentioned were:Loew’s Kings TheaterBedford-Atlantic and Sumner armoriesBrooklyn Book Festival grows!Brooklyn’s new poet laureate4th Avenue streetscapeBorough President’s OfficeAs well as mention of the revitalization plan for Coney Island.Excerpt from the address announcement regarding Coney Island is reads:
TO THE WORLD AT LARGE — “CONEY ISLAND” STILL CONJUREs “AMERICA’S PLAYGROUND.” I REMEMBER, AS A CHILD, THE EXCITEMENT IN THE LATE ‘40s AND ‘50s — WHAT CONEY ISLAND MEANT TO ME — AND TO GENERATIONS OF FAMILIES. THE APPROVAL OF THE “CONEY ISLAND” PLAN MEANS THE NEXT GENERATION WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE THE SAME SWEET MEMORIES I HAD — KUDOS TO MAYOR BLOOMBERG, DOMINIC RECCHIA, EDC, AND ITS CONEY ISLAND DEVELOPEMENT CORPORATION AND PRESIDENT LYNN KELLY! I SALUTE THOSE WHO BELIEVED IN CONEY THROUGH IT ALL, LIKE CONEY’S “MAYOR,” DICK ZIGUN, CAROL ALBERT, AND THE VOURDERIS FAMILY — YOU KEPT THE FAITH!
CONEY HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CIRCUS, AND LAST SUMMER WE ACTUALLY HAD ONE — THE RINGLING BROTHERS “BOOM-A-RING” (THANKS, TACONIC AND FELD ENTERTAINMENT — I KNOW THIS SUMMER WILL BE EVEN BETTER! IN THE CONEY ISLAND PLAN, I CALLED FOR MORE AMUSEMENTS — INSISTING THAT LOCAL CONEY RESIDENTS, WHO WILL BE HOSTING THE WORLD, BENEFIT FROM JOBS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND DISCOUNTED AMUSEMENTS AS WELL.
AND I’M DELIGHTED THAT, THIS SUMMER, ITALY’S ZAMPERLA, SUPPLIERS OF RIDES TO PLACES LIKE EURO-DISNEY IN PARIS — WILL LAUNCH THE 21ST CENTURY “LUNA PARK.” THIS IS YET ANOTHER SHOW OF INTERNATIONAL CONFIDENCE IN BROOKLYN! — AND PROOF POSITIVE THAT CONEY ISLAND’S BEST DAYS ARE YET TO COME!
ONE PART OF CONEY’S REVIVAL THAT I’M ESPECIALLY EXCITED ABOUT IS THE ASSER LEVY PARK PROJECT — WHICH WILL NOT ONLY IMPROVE THE PARK WITH NEW WALKWAYS AND RECREATION AREAS LIKE AN EXPANDED PLAYGROUND — BUT ALSO REFURBISH ITS HISTORIC BANDSHELL ON THE SPOT WHERE JOHN PHILIP SOUSA ONCE PLAYED, WHICH HAS BEEN THE SITE OF LIVE PERFORMANCES FOR OVER A CENTURY — INCLUDING THE THURSDAY SHOWS I’VE HOSTED THERE SINCE 1991.
THIS PROJECT WILL MAKE THE PARK MORE USABLE FOR RESIDENTS AND CREATE THE REVITALIZED GATEWAY THAT OUR NEW CONEY ISLAND DESERVES. THANK YOU DDC COMMISSIONER DAVID BURNEY, COUNCIL MEMBER DOMINIC RECCHIA, SENATOR CARL KRUGER AND EVERYONE AT CITY HALL.
I HAVE ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT MUSIC, LIKE SPORTS, BRINGS COMMUNITIES TOGETHER — IT’S WHY I’VE HOSTED FREE CONCERTS EVERY SUMMER FOR OVER 30 YEARS. HERE’S ANITA BAKER AT WINGATE FIELD’S MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. CONCERT SERIES LAST YEAR. AND THE SEASON FINALE — DONNA SUMMER AT THE SEASIDE CONCERT SERIES IN CONEY ISLAND — WHICH ATTRACTED OVER 15,000 FANS.
The plan's flawed areas like the hotels were downplayed in the statement. Jobs for the locals were left generalized. This perhaps so not to stir further bubbling controversy about the plan that diminishes the amusement are while creating an oxymoron that most probably is a ploy. Upon further realistic and concrete developments this part of the plan will have nowhere to go but out. There will not be a need to stay at a high rise hotel for a small amusement park that could be covered in a couple of hours.
Can you believe it? This wonderful film festival has already been around for a whole decade. Thanks to the passionate work of Rob Leddy and CIUSA!
