Science and Technology of New York City

Wadler, Joyce. “A Ride With Head-Spinning Views.” New York Times. 1 Sept. 2011. Web. 10 Oct. 2012. < http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/02/arts/design/janes-carousel-at-brooklyn-bridge-park.html>

Joyce Wadler, a reporter for the New York Times for the Arts and Design section, provided readers of the background behind Jane’s Carousel in Brooklyn Bridge Park. She summarized the history of the development plans for the carousel as well as the background behind the architect, Jean Nouvel. Wadler also briefly mentioned other carousels that were created around New York City, such as the one in Coney Island. Overall, the plans for a carousel gained political support (after oppositions for a shopping complex on the land where the Brooklyn Bridge Park was built on). Residents who thought that the view around the park would fit well for carousel riders also supported the plans.

The article relates with the Brooklyn Bridge Park project because it brings up one of the features in the park, the carousel. Thus, it would be beneficial to know the background of the carousel and examine its important in the social aspect of sustainability. However, the plans also contributed to financial concerns, in which certain construction of the carousel needed around millions of dollars for materials. Wadler intends to inform New Yorkers of the current status of the carousel as well as to inform them of its upcoming opening. A weakness to the article is the lack of public opinion, in which residents have not provided their view of the carousel. However, since the carousel opened a few weeks after this article was published, it would have been too early to gather public opinions on riding the carousel. Still, the bias of the article is that it does not include residents’ opinions on the carousel and how it would affect their social activities in the park. In other words, would the carousel be attractive for residents near the park? A strength to this article would be the information that Wadler has provided. Not only has she included background information of the carousel itself, but also the background of those that worked with the project. At the same time, she also provided the relationship between the park’s construction and the building of the carousel. Overall, the article would provide enough information to know about one of the various projects being done at Brooklyn Bridge Park.