Between the Bridges in Broad Channel

The Rockaway Times

Between the Bridges in Broad Channel

by 

Pete Mahon

"Kid, I don't need a shrink to tell me I'm crazy but you obviously do!"

  

The unofficial Mayor of Broad Channel, Emperor of West 12th Road, and community activist and gadfly,  Mr. Al McCarthy, recently celebrated his first anniversary in Heaven and is still sorely missed by his family, friends and neigbors. I first met Al back in the mid 90's when our family moved crosstown from Walton Road to West 12th Road.  Al grabbed me in the street and after quickly introducing himself shoved a tide calendar into my hands stating "Here kid, welcome to the swamp, you're gonna need this...we get flooded by the tides all the time."  After being caught several times by tidal street flooding not indicated on Al's tidal calendar I returned it to him telling him that it was worthless.  Al laughed and said "You're learning kid, now here's the real deal....look up at the block at the flagpole in the front of my house prior to any really high tide. If the flag is waving up the block away from the bay, don't get too excited.  If it's blowing down the block towards the bay, move your car." I told Al that made no sense whatsoever, but after a period of time I found that he was right on the money with his insane flagpole flood indicator. I never did figure it out. It's like one of those roads in the country where cars actually roll uphill while in neutral. Go figure!  Once Al and I got the whole tidal street flooding issue straightened out he pulled me aside and offered to refer me to a psychiatrist as he felt that my decision to voluntarily reside on W12thRd,  or "the swamp" as he affectionately referred to our street,  was a good indication that I might need the assistance of a "good talking doctor".  I asked Al if my move to West 12th Road meant I had issues, how did he explain his long term residence on the block?  Al simply smiled and responded, "Kid, I don't need a shrink to tell me I'm crazy but you obviously do!"  When the history of Broad Channel is written, Al will require more than just a footnote, he's gonna need his own chapter!

Speaking of history, the Broad Channel Historical Society was founded in 1994 as a committee of the Broad Channel Civic Association in order to document and preserve the history of our town. Our neighbor, Barbara Toborg, serves as the Historical Committee's Chairperson and for years has been a staunch advocate of the Historical Society believing that the history of Broad Channel is important because we can't begin to know about ourselves, to understand the present, the way we live here in Broad Channel and why, until we understand something of our community's roots in the past. In keeping with those beliefs.  the Historical Society  will once again sponsor its annual Broad Channel Annual Historical Day on Sunday, October 19, 2014, at the VFW Hall on Shad Creek Road in Broad Channel from Noon until 5 pm. Make it a point to stop by with your family, especially your children, so that they can be exposed to the rich history of our marvelous and unique community.

Utilization of available commercial space within Post Sandy Broad Channel appears to be lagging behind the strides being made by residential properties.  The skeletal framework of the commercial space at 816 Cross Bay Boulevard remains, as it has for years now, unfinished and a glaring eyesore.  The absolutely beautiful retail space located at 901 Cross Bay Boulevard (formerly Wharton's Apothecary) also remains unused.    The commercial property at 1632 Cross Bay Boulevard (formerly The Bay Gull Store)  remains shuttered since early this year.  The retail space located at the corner of Noel Road and Cross Bay Blvd. (formerly Coogan's Luncheonette and other stores) remains dark.  The town's sorely missed Bay View Restaurant on Van Brunt Road remains shuttered after being destroyed by Sandy as does the property adjacent to it, the former Aqua House.  Originally intended for a medical building and parking lot, the fields located directly across from the VFW on Shad Creek Road and Cross Bay (the former Milk Farm) and the field across the boulevard on the corner of Noel Road (originally a residential property) remain fallow.  The Sunset Marina at the end of West 10th Road has also remained closed since Sandy.

Admittedly, Hurricane Sandy accounts for some of the above properties, however, more than half of this unused commercial space existed prior to the storm.  If our commnity of Broad Channel is to survive, grow and thrive economically over the coming years, some strategic thought and planning will have to be given to this issue even as the Post Sandy struggle continues to ensure all residients and families are returned to their homes. More on this topic next week.  

Stephanie Wagner has announced that the 3rd Annual Broad Channel Christmas Lights Fund Drive is underway. Lighting up both sides of Cross Bay Boulevard for the Christmas holiday is a huge and expensive undertaking but one well worth the effort and greatly enjoyed by the residents of our town. Remember that terrific feeling that came over you when, amidst all the destruction of Hurricane Sandy, you first spotted the boulevard all aglow with holiday lights just before Christmas right after Sandy? Thank you Stephanie!  All donations to this fund are sincerely appreciated and can be made by visiting Stephanie'sBroad Channel Christmas Light Fund Drive site at http://www.gofundme.com/bclights

Broad Channel...Why would anyone want to live anywhere else?

Contact info:  email: rtbetweenthebridges@gmail.com or call/text: 347-226-1293