Civic Group Rips Gateway Over Shoddy Pier Repairs

Neal Duncan, president of the United Canarsie South Civic Association, told attendees at last week’s meeting held at the Hebrew Educational Society, repairs made thus far to the Canarsie Pier are inadequate.

“We had an official from Gateway National Park Service here during our last meeting,” said Duncan. “And while they said they repaved the surfaces of the playground and sidewalks, it’s an inferior piece of work.”

Duncan said that the new playground surface is “already falling apart and coming up from the ground” even though the work was completed just a few months ago.

The civic leader also said the sidewalk has been repaved with an “inexpensive gravel,” which is eroding relatively quickly.

“I am going to write a follow-up letter to Gate-way to let them know we are not happy with the improvements. Every time improvements are done, they are only temporary and that’s not good enough for our community.”

Vice President Lenny Fogel said the community should come together to create a task force to deal with the ongoing problems at the pier.

“We need to go after the elected officials. I think we should call a meeting with Congressman Ed Towns, who took an interest in helping us rebuild the pier, and bring him back there to show him what’s going on,” Fogel said. “We have to tell him that we expect these issues to be taken care of and that we’ll remember this when election time comes.”

Gateway officials were unavailable for comment by press time yesterday.

Canarsie Courier

By Dara Mormile

December 21, 2006