Community Magazine April 2013

Coney Island Aquarium to Reopen Almost eight months after being forced to close by Hurricane Sandy, The New York Aquarium plans to reopen this spring, Reuters reported. The 14-acre park was flooded when Atlantic seawater surged past the Coney Island Boardwalk, damaging aquatic life support systems and other infrastructure, the aquarium said. Some invertebrates and freshwater fish were killed in the flood, while the mammals and most sea creatures remained safe. Damage from the storm was estimated at $65 million, said The Wildlife Conservation Society, owner of the aquarium. The aquarium, which attracts as many as 750,000 visitors a year, is seeking donations to offset the enormous renovation costs. Although most of the animals remained in their tanks, The New York Times reported that a three-foot American eel was found alive in a staff shower stall. Ocean Parkway in Kensington Named Deadliest Brooklyn Road Out of a total of 132 pedestrian fatalities in Brooklyn from 2009 to 2011, there were six deaths reported on Ocean Parkway, according to a new study from the Tri-State Transportation Campaign, Brooklyn News 12 reported. Eastern Parkway is second on the list, with five deaths during the same time period. Kings Highway, Utica Avenue and Bedford Avenue were all in third place, with four deaths reported. Proper road improvements and increased traffic enforcement could have been prevented the fatalities, says the transportation group, while adding that substantial improvements to traffic conditions have been made over the last year. Sandy Victims Get First Preference In New Housing Developments Victims of Hurricane Sandy who lost their homes in the storm can now apply for apartments in new developments subsidized by the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development, Crain’s reported. Up to one quarter of the units will be reserved for low- and middle-income hurricane victims. Victims who meet the income guidelines set for each individual project will be granted first preference. Coney Island Commons is the first development that will offer such units to victims. The property offers studios and one- and two-bedroom apartments, and as many as 39 units will be available to families victimized by last autumn’s superstorm. Although the development is located in storm zone A, it sustained only minor damage from the storm and construction continued on schedule, due in part to modern building techniques. The 195-unit property is expected to open this summer. MTA Fare and Toll Hikes to Go into Effect The fares on New York City’s subway, buses, bridges and tunnels increased for the third time in three years on Sunday, March 3, NBC New York reported. The price for a single bus or subway ride increased 25 cents to $2.50. A monthly MetroCard now costs $112, up from $104, and a seven-day MetroCard costs $30, up from $29. The MTA’s seven bridges and two tunnels also saw increased tolls, with tolls at most crossings rising from $4.80 to $5.33 for E-ZPass, and from $6.50 to $7.50 for those paying cash. The increases are expected to bring in an additional $450 million a year for the MTA. New York City Municipal Schedule Occasion Day Date Alt Side Garbage Collection Parking Banks & Post Offices Passover: Seventh/Eighth Days Monday – Tuesday April 1 -2 Suspended Normal Normal Open Observance Thursday May 2 Suspended Normal Normal Open Observance Friday May 3 Suspended Normal Normal Open Observance Thursday May 9 Suspended Normal Normal Open Shavuot Wednesday May 15 - 16 Suspended Normal Normal Open Life in the Big City *Alternate Side Parking: For snow and other emergencies call 311 to get an update of parking rules for a particular day **Garbage: Residents who are normally scheduled for collection on the day of a holiday should place their trash out at curbside on the holiday evening for collection. Some residents will experience a disruption of on-time household collection service. Recycling: Residents who are normally scheduled for recycling collection on the day of the holiday will not receive service that week. They should place their recyclables out at curbside the following week on their regular day of service. 108 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE