Governor’s Island was a lot more fascinating than I thought it would be. According to the speaker, Leslie Koch, she said that riding bikes on Governor’s island was actually a weird idea to people when first introduced. The idea of bringing your bike on the ferry was actually considered weird. Nowadays biking is one of features that a lot, if not most, people go to Governor’s Island for. I was quite shocked to find this out as one who had always rented a bike when visiting the island.
I like how open Governor’s Island is to businesses. Instead of creating a specific area to hold only a few types of events, the island can be used for any idea as long as it can be approved. In the Macaulay seminar, various events and places described there were very diverse such as a puppet show and the hammock grove. I don’t remember seeing the hammocks the last time I went but the next time I will definitely make it a pit stop to go to after biking on the island.
Aside from the businesses and events held there, I thought the most interesting fact was the permanent residents residing on the island. I was not aware a marine school came here to study the water in the area or that their main stuffy were natural barriers. There was also a dance studio mentioned there and I am very surprised there is one on the island. Usually, the city is the area for dance since New York City is known for its art centers. I would have never thought a school or a dance studio would inhabit such an island.
A concern I thought about were the houses being torn down. I thought the houses would have historical value along with the other big landmarks on the island. Even though I know that they are doing this to create more spaces, I would think there would be an issue with the houses being torn down. It was not mentioned during the seminar so I am not sure if anyone actually cares about whether the buildings are torn down or not.
Some questions and issues I have are include are there dissenting opinions on whether the houses should be torn down? Is renovation on the island more important than preservation of the buildings to the board in charge of the island? Since no one talked about it I have no clear thought on what I consider an issue.
