Four months ago, NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver closed multiple beaches in Rockaway Beach due to severe erosion.

He cited concern for the difficulties NYC Lifeguards would have keeping these beaches safe for swimming. Commissioner Silver also voiced his concerns that limited recreational beach space would lead to sunbathers and beachgoers migrating onto what is left of the already severely damaged protective sacrificial dune.

By closing the beaches of Rockaway Beach, the Commissioner, thankfully, has clearly acknowledged, on behalf of the City of New York,  that the protection, which was recommended in New York City’s SIRR (Special Initiative for Recovery and Rebuilding), has been a complete and utter failure. This massive

So it's been announced that the beaches will be closed on a half-mile stretch of Rockaway Beach. SHOCKER!

We have been warning everyone with power to do something about our beach erosion in Rockaway Beach for decades now.  It does not surprise me in the least, that the can of proper resiliency measures has been kicked down the road all these years.

These current beach closures are not that much different than last year. The difference this year is, the beaches are "officially closed." Unless

On Sunday, October 29 at the YMCA on Beach 73rd street, the Mayor came to announce that the Rockaway peninsula would be finally receiving funding for resiliency and recovery measures of $146 million for the installation of bulkheads and replacement of parks washed away by Sandy.

The Mayor said this funding is from "left over" funds to build the boardwalk, taking credit for bringing the boardwalk in under budget.

What a crock!

The extra $146 million was sent along by FEMA for Rockaway

Out of sight out of mind!

That seems to be what NYC Parks is counting on from the people of Rockaway when it concerns about the desolate and barren stretch of Shore Front Parkway.

From Beach 86th Street to Beach 108th Street, what stands today is just overgrown weeds instead of parks and playgrounds. We've grown so accustomed to seeing weeds instead of parks and playgrounds along Shore Front Parkway that I may make a motion at the next CB 14 meeting to change the name to "Shore Front WEEDway"

Since early summer,  many local civic leaders have been hammering away at the City with concerns that our Rockaway beaches are once again eroding at an alarming rate. Thankfully, NYC Parks and the City heard us, and ordered a 90-day study (yes another study) of the erosion of our beaches.

Sadly, the study revealed what we all know, our beaches are eroding! The biggest problem is NO ACTION! This means we are at the mercy of the Army Corps of Engineers' planned timeline for our beach

Just when I thought it was about the kids, I quickly learned that it was much, much more.

This past Saturday a group of "civically-minded people" gathered at the wave bus shelter at Beach 107 and Shore Front Parkway (WEEDway).

We hung a large 4’ x 15’ banner reminding NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver that over one mile of parks in Rockaway Beach and Rockaway Park is still not reconstructed since Superstorm Sandy completely obliterated every inch of park and playground from Beach 87th to

Wow. Another Rockaway Times Photo Contest has drawn to a close last Sunday, July 2 at Caracas.

It was so cool that this year’s contest winner, Jennifer Keim, took her winning shot with a smart phone! How far we've come. Big Congrats, Jennifer!

As the final contest round got underway on Sunday morning, I was alerted to the fact that I failed to include one of the finalist's photos. I was in total shock!

Yes, I messed up big time! Jessica Shulman's shot of lightning striking the Gil Hodges

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