Council Member Joann Ariola and NYC Parks officials view beaches on the Rockaway peninsula during Monday’s visit.
Photo via Council Member Joann Ariola
Council Member Joann Ariola welcomed Parks Commissioner Tricia Shimamura and First Deputy Commissioner Mark Focht to Rockaway Monday to highlight issues impacting beaches along the peninsula, including impassable dunes, “dangerous” wooden jetties and a lack of signage in the area.
Ariola praised Shimamura and the Parks Department for what she described as an “extremely productive visit” that yielded a commitment to solutions that would address issues that the local community has been highlighting for years.
Among the issues raised by Ariola included Mobi mats covered in sand, preventing people from properly using the beach walkways. She also pointed to impassable dune crossovers and dangerous wooden jetties submerged along the peninsula.
Ariola further pointed to a lack of signage near a construction site for the new entryway to the beach at 116th Street. U.S. Army Corps crews are currently working on a new entrance to the beach at 116th Street, leaving the entrance closed to the public. Members of the public are currently required to walk a block east or west in order to access the sand, but Ariola said visitors and newcomers to the peninsula may be unaware of such a requirement.
“After this meeting, Parks committed to providing us with that new signage, which will ensure that visitors know that our beaches are open, and will help to show newcomers where to go to get to the water,” Ariola said in a statement.
Shimamura, meanwhile, said NYC Parks is “thrilled” to partner with Ariola and the Rockaway community ahead of the summer season.
Photo via Council Member Joann Ariola
“Beach season is almost here, and our crews are hard at work preparing our beaches for opening weekend,” Shimamura said in a statement. “We’re thrilled to collaborate with Councilwoman Ariola’s office and our partners in the Rockaway community to ensure that our shoreline is welcoming, accessible, and at its best so that New Yorkers can get out there and enjoy the water all summer long.”
Dr. Harold Paez, president of the Rockaway Civic Association, praised both Ariola and NYC Parks for addressing issues impacting the community, pointing especially to efforts to install signage around Beach 116th Street.
Paez said the community has “suffered for many years” due to closed beaches around Beach 116th Street while the city conducted necessary repairs to the boardwalk, dunes and the beach itself.
“These signs will help to revitalize foot traffic in the area by getting the word out to the public and letting people know that the beaches are open, and I look forward to this bringing more tourists and more customers to the businesses on Beach 116th Street,” Paez said.
Beach 116th Street closed to the public in 2023 as part of a $336 million project to reinforce the peninsula’s coastline. The beach reopened to the public last summer, with crews now working on the entrance at 116th Street itself.