A Tale of Two Coney Islands
Every neighborhood has places that make it unique and interesting. New York is known to be an area that attracts tourists from all over the world. Coney Island, Brooklyn is one neighborhood in New York where many tourists go to visit when taking a trip to the Big Apple. It is home to many forms of leisure and amusement. One of the main attractions in Coney Island is the New York Aquarium, which is the only aquarium in New York City. The Aquarium is located on Surf Avenue, which is one of the main streets in Coney Island. Another popular part of Coney Island is the boardwalk. The boardwalk is not just your average beach: one can find volleyball, basketball, and two amusement parks, Luna Park and Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park. The baseball stadium, which hosts the Brooklyn Cyclones, is also a prominent part of Coney Island. Tourists and locals gather at the stadium to cheer on the team and have an inexpensive night of fun. This area has certainly transformed from what it was in the past. It used to be a site of settlement for European settlers. Coney Island was gradually built up to become this area of enjoyment and entertainment for both the visitors and the residents, or so it is believed to be.
Unfortunately, Coney Island is not a Utopia. There are many problems in the area, problems present about two blocks from the main strip of Surf Avenue. Even the main strip itself contains its own issues. Coney Island is obviously not just an area for tourists. It is also home to residents of many different ethnicities and has a population of about 31,965 people, according to a recent census. Huge, multistory project buildings are extremely blatant, filled with residents of lower class and surrounded by worn down houses as well as run down stores. They, contrary to belief, contribute nothing to the area but a living environment for poor residents, who take advantage of the closeness with other residents, increasing criminal activity. As for problems on Surf Avenue, the main attractions of the area possess the problems or have some controversial issue. For one, during Hurricane Sandy, the aquarium was damaged and is currently shut down. Another problem is that MCU park, also known as the baseball stadium, was built and restored after Hurricane Sandy, yet no money was put into restoration for the rest of the community These are just two of the many problems and controversies that will be discussed.
It is this “tale of two Coney Islands” that is presented on this website. That is, Coney Island is a combination of two different types of environments. On one side, one sees the entertainment, the food, the beach, the boardwalk, and the various attractions. On the other side, one sees poverty, worn down housing, poor living conditions, and other features that one associates with a “bad area.” Although these two environments may seem separated at times, all of the primary places discussed are connected into one socioeconomic synonymy. Coney Island, with the analysis provided, is shown for the perfection it is not, in hopes that, one day, the area will be wholly filled with happiness and contentment.
