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Beach At Fort Tilden Will Remain Closed This Summer Due To Hurricane Sandy
By
John Del Signore
Published Feb 28, 2013
Modified Feb 28, 2013
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Gothamist
By
John Del Signore
Published Feb 28, 2013
Modified Feb 28, 2013
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The beach at Fort Tilden, a popular alternative to the more crowded beaches at nearby Jacob Riis Park, will not open this summer due to damage sustained during Hurricane Sandy. Daphne Yun, a spokesperson for the Gateway National Recreation Area, tells us, "It can't be safely reopened. The erosion was very bad there, and it's going to remain closed this summer." Yun was unable to say when it would reopen, and could not confirm that the beach would even reopen in 2014. "It's being put on the back-burner," she said.
Given the traditionally laid-back nature of Fort Tilden (there are no lifeguards or facilities on the beach), we asked Yun how militantly this restriction would be enforced. She said the beach will be fenced off and patrolled. "The erosion has exposed quite a lot of debris, some of it sharp, Yun explained. "There are pieces of the road that are still in the water, as well as rebar and other sharp debris. We just don't have the resources or the time to safely address that before the start of the summer season."
"So many things were damaged due to Hurricane Sandy," Yun added. "There are thousands of things that need to be repaired and assessed." Among them, Riis park, which will reopen on Memorial Day, with "added amenities," including shuttle service, according to Yun. Three beaches at Sandy Hook (B, Gunnison and North Beach) will also open on Memorial Day, with the park fully reopening during the summer.
"Sandy Hook had extensive damage," Yun says. "Sand was on roads and had to be moved to parking lots. It literally looked like a desert because the sand was so high. They also lost electricity and phone lines. The multi-use path was badly damaged. Riis park had some of the same erosion but they were able to assess that a little better. Bathhouses were flooded, as well as the Park Police building and the First Aid building."
Canarsie Piers also remains closed; officials are still waiting a structural engineer to review it, and Yun said she's not sure when that will reopen. And the beach at Breezy Point will remain closed until the main access road can be repaved.
[h/t Katie Honan]
Tagged
fort tilden
hurricane sandy
rockaways
summer
why god
original
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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