A plan to expand a recreational pathway along Staten Island’s waterfront was recently announced. This plan seems to exemplify both Greenberg and Checker’s argument that economic interests take priority over genuine environmental remediation and preservation and resident needs, despite being framed otherwise. According to the proposal, the path would create a “continuous greenway from the Verrazano to the Goethals bridges” and “improve the quality of life on the North Shore by addressing…pressing issues of transportation, waterfront access, and economic development (Knudson).” Benefits of this greenway include economic development, cultural preservation of historic homes along the waterfront, restoring community waterfront access and “environmental health by preserving marshes and estuaries along the trail (NYC.gov).”

This proposal is in a very early stage and there is no real plan yet for how Staten Island plans to get funding for and develop the greenway. However, there is an issue with the plan that is inexcusable even at this early stage. While the plan claims this greenway would signal an “environmental renaissance” by creating a more natural solution for transportation and by preserving the local ecosystems, the plan makes no mention of what steps it plans to take for the more pressing issues of flood prevention and rising water levels.

Also, although the plan’s proponents frame this greenway as a benefit for Staten Island residents, comments on this plan indicate otherwise. One commenter expressed their strong disapproval over the Greenway, when other more pressing issues have still not been resolved, like the “pathetic condition of our road, countless potholes, [and the] surface is breaking down resulting in asphalt simply turning into stones (Knudson).” Another comment states that the residents had “never heard of this summit,” implying that the people living in these communities had minimal participation in this discussion. This seems to be yet another plan has a secondary focus on its residents’ needs, with profit being its primary motive.

Source:

Knudson, Annalise. “Community Explores Building North Shore Waterfront Greenway.” SILive.com. May 06, 2018. Accessed May 09, 2018. http://www.silive.com/news/2018/05/post_2150.html.

http://www1.nyc.gov/assets/statenislandcb1/downloads/pdf/the_north_shore_waterfront_greenway_park_presentation.pdf