#ConeyRecovers

#ConeyRecovers (select this link for more information on this item and other recovery efforts)

Immediate positions are available to support hurricane cleanup efforts and resident outreach in NYCHA developments. Recruitment event this Wednesday!
December 12, 2012
9:30am - 2:00pm
O’Dwyer Community Center
2945 West 33rd Street

Rough Ride for Arcades at Coney Island

Rough Ride for Arcades at Coney Island Park - WSJ.com

(Excerpt)
As Coney Island rebuilds after Sandy, the operators of its amusement parks face a specific challenge: to refurbish beloved but aniquated games. Park owners have to reach out to special tinkerers to repair fan favorites like Grandma"s Predictions.

Grandma now sits in a kind of intensive-care ward for century-old knickknacks in the Westchester County workshop of Bob Yorburg, 57, who specializes in carnival repair, and who recently revamped the carousel organ for the Big Apple Circus at Lincoln Center

Did The NYRR Go Back On Its Promise To Guarantee Marathon Entry For Canceled 2012 Runners?

Did The NYRR Go Back On Its Promise To Guarantee Marathon Entry For Canceled 2012 Runners?: Gothamist

Jessica Lehrman / Gothamist
One month after the New York Road Runners riled everybody up by blaming the media for the 2012 marathon's cancellation—you know, the one that was to be held less than a week after Sandy ravaged the city—it looks like they're at it again: it now seems it is completely unclear whether 2012's registered runners are guaranteed a slot in next year's race as promised.
When Mayor Bloomberg finally canceled the marathon one day before it was intended to be held, NYRR director Mary Wittenberg announced that runners signed up would be "guaranteed entry for the marathon, or, if they prefer, the New York City half." But according to the organization's Facebook page, runners registered for the 2012 marathon will receive an extra credit towards the requirements for guaranteed entry to the marathon. Those requirements are part of something called the 9+1 Program, which says NYRR-registered runners have to complete nine NYRR races and volunteer at one race in order to get a spot to the highly-competitive race without going through a lottery.
The extra credit helps bump up runners who were just shy of making 9+1 requirements, but as for getting a spot for all registered 2012 runners, many of whom paid as high as a $347 entrance fee, the NYRR says that "[d]ecisions related to any other issues or questions are still pending," so it seems like so much for that guarantee! And for the record, the organization still seems to be sticking by its no refund policy.
Unsurprisingly, many runners were frustrated with the organization's apparent turn-around, and the NYRR's Facebook page is flooded with comments and requests for clarification. "It's a little confusing to me that somehow, now, we're whistling a different tune," runner Mark Schneider told NBC News. "It's a bit of a blow. They need to be a little more responsible and consistent in their message to people."
Wittenberg's taken a lot of heat for her handling of the marathon cancellation, with many even calling for her resignation. The costs of the canceled marathon have been huge, and the NYRR is currently locked in battle with its insurance company over claims, which may explain why they've yet to reach a definitive answer on fees and guarantees. But the runners, including those who supported the cancellation, feel let down, and a commenter on the NYRR's Facebook page summed up the whole fiasco best: "The NYRR has changed from a wonderfully run grassroots organization into a cash cow. I miss my old running club, but it's gone and it is not coming back."

Sandy blew out the lights at Brooklyn Bridge Park — now closing’s at dusk instead of 1 a.m.

Sandy blew out the lights at Brooklyn Bridge Park — now closing’s at dusk instead of 1 a.m. - NY Daily News

Brooklyn’s gleaming new waterfront park is dark — and the neighbors are mad.
Brooklyn Bridge Park has been closing at dusk - 430-p.m.-ish these days - ever since Superstorm Sandy knocked out the electricity.
Park officials said repairs will be a long time coming.
The popular shorefront recreation spot might not return to its normal 1 a.m. closing time until spring when the lighting system is fixed, a park official said.
That’s riled up residents of DUMBO, Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill and Carroll Gardens who consider the 85-acre oasis their go-to place for walking and jogging after work.
“These people should have been prepared for this natural disaster,” said Mark Young, 42, a park regular who lives on Jay St. in DUMBO.
“They need to fix the lighting ASAP,” he fumed.
But the repair job can’t be rushed because of the “complexity” of the park’s lighting system, spokeswoman Teresa Gonzalez said.
Until the work is done the sundown shutdown is a must, she said: “Proper lighting of the park in the evening is a public safety issue we take very seriously.”
The fix-up may take until spring because specialized equipment must be ordered and lead times are long, she said.
The shopping list is lengthy; transformers, switch gear, breakers and fuses all need to be replaced.
Equipment that didn’t have to be thrown away must be taken apart and cleaned to get rid of salty residue that flood waters left behind.

$4.9 million for a bridge to down there?

Rendering of foot bridge at Brooklyn Bridge Park

A new boardwalk in the sky will link Brooklyn Bridge Park and the Promenade  - NY Daily News (Full)

(Excerpts)

It will give residents of Brooklyn Heights — and visitors arriving via the High St. A and C subway station — faster access to the popular waterfront park.


A reporter climbed up on the spans for a test walk; the boards were springy underfoot.
Protective stainless steel mesh screens that will be attached to the sides of the bridge will be just 42 inches high but its designer Ted Zoli doesn’t think there’s a big risk of suicides.
“Jumpers are not drawn to pedestrian bridges,” he said.


There’s a 50-foot drop from Squibb Park to Pier 1. But twists and turns in the 450-foot-long route will make the descent gradual and easy for wheelchair users to handle.
Lack of funding delayed bridge construction until City Council members and Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz allocated $4.9 million for it.

City's Bike Share Program to Launch in May

City's Bike Share Program to Launch in May After Sandy Damaged Some Gear - DNAinfo.com New York

(Excerpt)

NEW YORK CITY — The city's long-delayed bike share program is on track to launch in May, after being pushed back two more months because of damage sustained during Hurricane Sandy.
There will be 5,500 bikes at 293 stations in Manhattan and Brooklyn, according to the Department of Transportation.
Initially there were going to be 7,000 bikes and 420 pickup and drop-off stations, but flooding at the program's Brooklyn Navy Yard facility, where about two-thirds of the equipment was stored, harmed some electrical components, the DOT said. Some bikes and hardware stored there were not damaged or can be restored or replaced, officials said.

Duane Reade reopens its pharmacy...a small dose for the community.

The Duane Reade Pharmacy located on Ocean Parkway and Brighton Beach Avenue reopened its doors...but only for the pharmacy department.  The rest of the store is still in lockdown following flooding damage.

But it is a credit to Duane Reade that they made the effort to open quickly in order to service the prescription needs of this community especially the elderly that have been hit particularly hard by the storm. In a smart makeover the pharmacy was moved to the front of the store walled off from the rest of the space that was being cleaned up and restored.
The rest of the store should be open in a few weeks.