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Editorial: We’re Open, Is Parks?


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Illustration by Thomas Kerr

When the NYC Parks Department decided — just days before Memorial Day weekend — to close the beaches between Beach 91st Street and Beach 102nd Street, a spokesperson told us that the agency would make up for it by finding ways to “bring in more events.”

Well, that was in May, it’s now June 15 as you read this.

This weekend, June 16-17, is supposed to a great one; 80’s and sunny. As far as we know, Parks hasn’t planned any events this weekend,

Hey Parks, what are you waiting for?

Earlier this week, Rockaway Beach Civic Association (RBCA) Co-Vice President Jeremy Jones chided Community Board 14’s Parks and Public Safety committee for not being proactive and requesting a meeting with Parks to address the local business and concession concerns about the beach closures. Jones also said the RBCA, has formally requested to schedule a meeting with Parks Department decision makers, including Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver and Parks First Deputy Commissioner Liam Kavanagh among others.

We love that Jones is being aggressive here, but seriously, why should he have to? RBCA and CB14 didn’t close the beaches – Parks did. So what is Parks waiting for?

Why do the civics and organizations like the Rockaway Business Alliance have to ask for meetings and help from these same city hacks that made the ridiculous decision to hamstring local businesses in the first place?

Why isn’t Parks saying “We screwed up, how can we help?”

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