"Sadly though, the Parks Department continues to espouse half truths and absolute misinformation when they believe it suits their purposes and they won't be called on it, as was once again on display at this hearing today, " -
Rob Burstein.
Critics blasted the Parks Department design at the Public Design Commission hearing today.
Rain Forest Relief's Tim Keating pointed out that the US Army recently built two tank bridges and a locomotive bridge using recycled plastic (recycled structural composite). Parks Department representatives claim however that concrete is the most appropriate material for the Coney Island Boardwalk. (Photos: Geoffrey Croft/NYC Park Advocates) Click on images to enlarge.
"It was, once again, extremely frustrating to have to stand, silent, and listen to misinformation, obfuscation and avoidance without the ability to respond," said Mr. Keating.
"It would appear that this is not going to pass" - Public Design Commission official.
For decades the City has refused to allocate adequate funds to maintain the historic boardwalk. Each year multiple lawsuits are filed against the city for injuries as a result. The City is using borrowed capital funds to deal with a lack of maintenance funds which has resulted in the use of concrete.
Brooklyn
By Geoffrey Croft
The Public Design Commission refused to even vote today on the Parks Department controversial plan to use concrete in the historic boardwalk in Coney Island. Instead the Commission sent the Parks Department back to explain a host of issues.
Sections of Coney Boardwalk made out of concrete (left) and wood (right) last December.
(Photo:
Debbie Egan-Chin/NY Daily News)
"Why do we need the concrete at all," asked a commissioner, a sentiment shared by more than one design official.
Parks representatives claimed that no alternative materials other than concrete could support vehicle usage on the boardwalk - despite the fact that wood has done so more than 70 years.
The commissioners were not buying it today.
"If its (plastic) good enough for the United States Army, I don't understand," one Design Commissioner, James Polshek responded, referring to tank and locomotive bridges the government has recently built using that material.
"I've heard in internal discussions the police need it (the concrete) because vehicles can't stop fast enough on the artificial wood. That's nonsensical...that's not a reason. That should be thrown out."
Parks officials Nancy Prince, landscape architect, chief engineer John Natoli, and Brooklyn Commissioner Kevin Jefferies present their case.
Officials stand in front of a collage of images depicting poorly performing concrete recently installed on the boardwalk.
Brooklyn Borough Commissioner Kevin Jefferies said maintenance needs including collecting garbage cans was the reason vehicles needed access to the boardwalk.
"And they can't be serviced on artificial wood," commissioner Polshek asked in one back-and-forth.
"No they can't," said Jefferies.
"Why not," the commissioner asked.
"Because our experience have shown that its destructive to the wood. "
"As a commissioner, with all due respect to our public - to the people who support the government - I personally would have to see absolutely, categorical, graphic, proof of it with engineers names attached and the photographs," he said to applause.
Todd Dobrin, president of Friends of The Boardwalk refuted Mr. Jefferies assertion by pointing out that the city is using wood exclusively in the most heavily trafficked area of the boardwalk. Mr. Dobrin brought numerous chunks of cracked concrete taken from boardwalk sections recently installed. He also presented the commission with a book of photos depicting dark stains and thousands of cracks.
A broken-off piece of concrete from a section of the boardwalk. A larger pice was taken a few days later. Although installed just a year ago concrete from the Coney Island Boardwalk has once again raised public safety, design, environmental as well as cost concerns. In addition to the concrete chunks found, thousands of cracks have also appeared.
Parks Department spokeswoman Vickie Karp said a few weeks ago that the existing concrete boardwalk sections had “minor hairline cracks" that "pose no safety issues.”
Parks officials including Commissioner Jefferies - former head of Park Enforcement - and
chief engineer John Natoli
attempted to down play how wide-spread the poor conditions were.
"This section represents a less than a tenth of a 1 percent failure rate," said Mr. Natoli pointing to the
collage
on the wall. "We rushed this section. We wanted to have this open for the season," said Natoli.
The Parks Department's
chief engineer
did not mention the thousands of hairline cracks that have already emerged or the amount already spent on trying to fix the issue.
More than a dozen people showed up to oppose the City's plan. Critics blasted the parks Department plan for numerous reasons.
No one on the commission publicly supported the use of concrete at today's hearing either.
"Clearly, the concrete on top doesn't look as good," said commissioner Byron Kim. "I really have to vote against any concrete."
"It would appear that this is not going to pass, " Signe Nielsen, Vice President of the commission said before listing a multitude of issues they wanted addressed.
After the hearing critics were pleased.
"As the result of the Design Commission's insightful questions to official's of the Parks Department regarding their proposal to use massive amounts of concrete to replace the Coney Island Boardwalk- many of which we have raised repeatedly in the past as well as today - and the Commissions' expressions of discomfort with the paucity of information that Parks was able to provide, and their decision to not vote for approval at this time, I feel modestly hopeful that the Parks Department will be held more accountable for their claims and wasteful expenditures of taxpayer dollars than in the past," said Rob Burstein.
"And perhaps," he continued, "they can even begin to seriously consider the many viable alternative woods and materials that can be used to enhance rather than destroy the Boardwalk. Sadly though, the Parks Department continues to espouse half truths and absolute misinformation when they believe it suits their purposes and they won't be called on it, as was once again on display at this hearing today. Fortunately, as the result of our being present and the Commission's displeasure with inadequate or evasive responses, this strategy did not serve them on this day."
"I am thrilled that the members of the Design Commission were able to see some of the holes in the rhetoric presented by Parks personnel regarding the "need" to use concrete for the understructure and part of the decking of the Reigelman Boardwalk, " said Tim Keating, Director of Rainforest Relief who has been advocating for the use of durable, structural recycled plastic lumber (RPL) on the Boardwalk since 1995.
"We have had numerous meetings with Parks Department Commissioners, engineers, designers, specifiers and others since then. Just as Parks is currently saying that domestic hardwoods "do not work for us", they insisted from 1995 to 2005 that RPL wasn't working for them. Then sold (literally) on tropical hardwoods as the only answer for the Boardwalk, they ignored our suggestions and those from engineers working for the companies producing structural RPLs for over a decade. In fact, they ignored us to such a great extent that, even when 'complying' with us when it came to ending the use of tropical hardwoods for the platforms of playground playsets, they still couldn't get it right and used a wood-plastic composite lumber, something we specifically suggested they *not* use. They are now having to replace *those* and are finally using true RPL."
The Parks Department's press office did not respond to a request for comment but told other media that they are "evaluating" the commissioner's comments.
Read/View More:
Boardwalk plan unset in concrete
New York Post - October 25, 2011 - By Rich Calder
Commission's not on Board(walk) with concrete design for Coney Island
New York Daily News - October 25, 2011- By Erin Durkin
Design Commission Keeps Concrete Away From Coney Island Boardwalk
NY 1 - October 24, 2011 - By Jeanine Ramirez
A Walk In The Park - October 4, 2011
A Walk In The Park - July 2, 2011
A Walk In The Park - June 14, 2011
