New Jack City
July 18th, 2007, 08:13 PM
AM NY
Group gives NYC beaches poor marks
By Ryan Chatelain, amNewYork Associate Editor
ryan.chatelain@am-ny.com
July 18, 2007
Of the seven beaches run by the city, only one qualifies as a good spot to soak up the sun, according to a survey released Tuesday.
Staten Island's Midland Beach was the only one to receive "satisfactory" marks in the first known independent review of New York's 14 miles of beaches.
The group, New Yorkers for Parks, a watchdog group, gave the Parks Department especially poor marks for the conditions of drinking fountains and shorelines.
Among the six other beaches, Brooklyn's Manhattan Beach, the Bronx's Orchard Beach, Staten Island's South Beach and Queens' Rockaway Beach were rated as "challenged."
Coney Island/Brighton Beach in Brooklyn and Wolfe's Pond Beach in Staten Island both failed.
The report card does applaud the maintenance of pathways like boardwalks and walkways, but criticizes shorelines for having too much broken glass and litter and not enough lifeguards. The survey also said that working, sanitary drinking fountains were found just 39 percent of the time.
Parks Department Commissioner Adrian Benepe released statement saying its inspectors perform random checks and graded the city's beaches much higher. For example, adequate drinking fountains were found 88 percent of the time in its own survey.
"By every measure, New York City's beaches are in better shape now than at any other time, with more than $50 million invested in capital beach improvements and surrounding recreational resources since 2002, stronger performance measurement systems, better technology, close partnerships with the NYPD, dedicated community partners, expanded waterfront recreational opportunities and ADA access," the statement said.
The Parks Department conceded that litter is a concern and asked for the public's help in keeping the beaches clean.
New Yorkers for Parks recommends several steps for the city to improve beach quality, including increasing staff to pick up litter, creating a better recruitment strategy for lifeguards and ensuring restrooms are open and in good working condition.
Group gives NYC beaches poor marks
By Ryan Chatelain, amNewYork Associate Editor
ryan.chatelain@am-ny.com
July 18, 2007
Of the seven beaches run by the city, only one qualifies as a good spot to soak up the sun, according to a survey released Tuesday.
Staten Island's Midland Beach was the only one to receive "satisfactory" marks in the first known independent review of New York's 14 miles of beaches.
The group, New Yorkers for Parks, a watchdog group, gave the Parks Department especially poor marks for the conditions of drinking fountains and shorelines.
Among the six other beaches, Brooklyn's Manhattan Beach, the Bronx's Orchard Beach, Staten Island's South Beach and Queens' Rockaway Beach were rated as "challenged."
Coney Island/Brighton Beach in Brooklyn and Wolfe's Pond Beach in Staten Island both failed.
The report card does applaud the maintenance of pathways like boardwalks and walkways, but criticizes shorelines for having too much broken glass and litter and not enough lifeguards. The survey also said that working, sanitary drinking fountains were found just 39 percent of the time.
Parks Department Commissioner Adrian Benepe released statement saying its inspectors perform random checks and graded the city's beaches much higher. For example, adequate drinking fountains were found 88 percent of the time in its own survey.
"By every measure, New York City's beaches are in better shape now than at any other time, with more than $50 million invested in capital beach improvements and surrounding recreational resources since 2002, stronger performance measurement systems, better technology, close partnerships with the NYPD, dedicated community partners, expanded waterfront recreational opportunities and ADA access," the statement said.
The Parks Department conceded that litter is a concern and asked for the public's help in keeping the beaches clean.
New Yorkers for Parks recommends several steps for the city to improve beach quality, including increasing staff to pick up litter, creating a better recruitment strategy for lifeguards and ensuring restrooms are open and in good working condition.