Wilton Cartagena, who runs a grocery store on Coney Island, is relieved that a new ferry service connecting the remote beachfront community to Manhattan will cut the four-hour commute for his employees, most of whom live in the Bronx.
He anticipates that the ferries will also bring an economic boon to its shores, which are best known for an amusement park but tethered to a limited summer season. âConey Island has been very neglected for a long time, so this is going to be good for business,â said Mr. Cartagena, who owns J-R Market near the anticipated pier.
Except that what is good for business may be coming at the expense of Brooklynâs last remaining creek and the wildlife that live there. Scientists for the cityâs Parks Department, which oversees Coney Island Creek Park, say city officials pushed ahead with the plan to build the ferry landing on the creek despite concerns that a service there would damage the ecosystem and release toxic pollution.
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Assemblywoman Mathylde Frontus, at the lectern, has been leading the opposition to the Coney Island Creek location. She said she wanted a ferry service too â" but not at any cost.Credit...Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times Wilton Cartagena, who runs a grocery store on Coney Island, is relieved that a [...]