Coney Island and the High Line

Two of the more exciting places in New York City to visit are Coney Island and the High Line amusement park. Both areas are a magnet for tourists and locals alike, and both are marvels that show the evolution of the city from the early 20^th century to the early 21^st century. Coney Island developed as a spot that would rival the architectural feats that Manhattan had achieved and act as a place for amusement and leisure in an otherwise busy and unsmiling city. The High Line was established only a few short years ago, and was built on an old railroad line. Many wanted this dilapidated crossing to be torn down, but with the support of many park enthusiasts, this rail line transformed into a place for relaxation and tranquility.

Coney Island is a gigantic beach/amusement park that attracts thousands of visitors in the summer. The old and young all gather to swim, dine, and go on the numerous rides in Luna Park. Coney Island functions as a neighborhood haven, with a family feel to it that one doesn’t necessarily get from going to Disneyland or Six Flags, because of the lack of neighborhood atmosphere. This haven is a landmark that everyone in New York City knows about, and its established legacy makes it almost iconic. In contrast, the High Line Park is relatively new and not as well known. It isn’t as mutually loved as Coney Island is, because there is still a small minority who wish the park wasn’t built, and instead wish that the old railroad was removed. However, the High Line is still widely visited and eventually may become as accepted and as known as Coney Island. The High Line, like Coney Island, provides a means of escape for those in the city. However, unlike the powerful and loud atmosphere that Coney Island has, the High Line is all about enjoying yourself with some peace and quiet.

Coney Island is well known for its boardwalk, but what I found particularly dazzling was the pier near the end of the boardwalk. That pier stretches deep into the water and from afar almost appears to be stretching out infinitely. The pier is special because it allows you to venture into the waters without actually leaving dry land. Once at the end of the pier, I felt as if the main boardwalk was in another world and I was looking out at the happy beachgoers, who were light years away from me. In addition, another rare and amusing oddity in Coney Island was the assortment of trashcans with designs on them. Some cans had a smiling sun, and others had a rainbow sailing past the boardwalk. The idea of creating artistic pieces with something as simple as trashcans was something very Brooklyn in my opinion. It reflected a belief that anything can be made beautiful, even something as simple and unsightly as a trashcan. And at the same time, this is essentially what Coney Island is; taking a drab stretch of beach and filling it up with so many lights that it almost becomes Brooklyn’s Time Square at night.

The High Line didn’t fall short of my expectations, and the beautiful landscaping wasn’t even the best part of the park. Inside were quirky attributes that gave the High Line a very playful touch. One of my favorite things in the park was the water fountain. Well, more specifically, all of the water fountains throughout the park. These fountains all did one thing which I’ve never had the pleasure of seeing anywhere else; they spoke to you. As my friends and I took a drink, a female voice sprung out from the fountain, talking to us about water. I was caught so off guard that I was unable to understand the rest of her message, but the point was clear and simple; the High Line was going to go above and beyond in all possible ways. Along with the water fountains were strange horizontal waterfalls that almost gave a beach-like feel to the park. One woman even dipped her feet in the waterfall to see if it was real. The High Line was already different in its creation because, after all, it had been built from an old railroad line. But with these little quirks, it seemed even more amazing to me.

In Delirious New York, Koolhaus talks about Coney Island and how it was meant to be a pleasure center for visitors. One look at Coney Island made it clear that everything built there was to excite and enthrall anyone who came. In addition, Koolhaus mentions that Coney Island is an artificial world built for those who can’t go out and experience it firsthand. On page 37 he notes: “…the ability to ride a horse is a form of sophistication not available to the people who have replaced the original visitors [inhabitants]”, when explaining the creation of Steeplechase Park. When visiting Coney Island, this description comes to mind. The fishing games remind me of those who would visit the park to experience a life that they couldn’t enjoy in the city, a life of fishing and hunting for themselves. In addition, the fire truck ride in the current Coney Island seemed to be homage to the midget firefighters who battled the flames that brought down Coney Island in the early 20^th century. This ride provided one of many links of the old Coney Island to the new.

Gopnik and Goldberger both talked about the High Line and its connection with nature, because after the rail line became untouched, it eventually grew into a literal urban jungle. One of the themes of the High Line was to preserve the natural feel while still creating a new park for everyone to enjoy. I felt that the park did some justice to this notion, because the rail lines and some of the natural foliage remained, but overall it had become more artificial than not. And that, in a way, symbolizes both Coney Island and New York in general. This entire city is artificial, and in our struggle to return to a more natural state of living we’ll either mock it, as the rides in Coney Island do, or we’ll tear down natural greenery and plant other vegetation, just to achieve a natural feel. In essence, we can never truly return to nature while still inhabiting the city, although it seems people will constantly develop new means of doing so.

Goldberger, Paul. “Miracle Above Manhattan.” National Geographic April 2011: 122-137. Print.
Gopnik, Adam. “A Walk on the High Line.” The New Yorker May 21, 2001: 44-49. Print.
Koolhaas, Rem. Delirious New York. New York: Monacelli Press, 1994. Print.