CB14 COMMITTEE MIFFED OVER LATEST BOARDWALK DESIGNS (Rockaway Times)

The Rockaway Times

NEWS

CB14 COMMITTEE MIFFED OVER LATEST BOARDWALK DESIGNS

August 7, 2014 By Bianca Fortis 0

The proposed tanning table had no fans on the Community Board 14 Committee. // Courtesy EDC/Parks Department.

Members of Community Board 14 expressed their displeasure – again – at the most recent designs for the new Rockaway Beach Boardwalk.

The New York City Economic Development Corporation and the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation presented the current plans for the Rockaway Beach boardwalk to the Parks and Public Safety Committee of Community Board 14 Monday night at the Knights of Columbus hall.

EDC and Parks representatives said they wanted to hold the meeting in order to discuss the designs – which had already been presented in June – and get feedback from the community.

However committee members were miffed because the board had already voted down those same plans two months ago.

The biggest problems for committee members were some of the proposed boardwalk finishes: specifically, chaise lounges and “tanning tables.” According to Emil Martone, an EDC representative, those elements were not in the original proposed design. However, when the designs were presented to the city’s Public Design Commission, a board of 11 individuals appointed by the mayor, the board found the designs unsatisfactory.

While there is seating along the entire boardwalk, and the PDC asked that the seating near the main entrances be differentiated in some way – hence the chaise lounges. The tanning tables, which are essentially sloped flat surfaces, are designed to utilize some of the space between the boardwalk and the ramps leading up to the boardwalk.

The Parks Department selected those elements from several designs that the EDC had developed in response to the PDC, Martone said. The exact number of how many chaise lounges or tanning tables would be installed was not available.

Committee members were vocally outspoken against the designs, arguing that the add-ons could welcome vandalism. They said ideas such as flowers, a water garden for children or shaded seating would better suit the needs of the community.

Committee member John Cori said the lounges or tanning tables could act as projectiles should another storm come.

“Did you ever consider what we wanted?” he asked the city representatives. “We sat for almost a year telling you what we wanted and you gave us nothing that we asked for.”