Council Members Celebrate—And Dance—On Landmarked Coney Island Boardwalk

CONEY ISLAND – City Council Speaker Corey Johnson joined Council Members Mark Treyger  (District 47) and Chaim Deutsch (District 48) on the Coney Island Boardwalk Thursday afternoon to celebrate the historic walkway’s recent designation as an official NYC landmark.

On May 15—the 95th anniversary of the boardwalk—the New York City Landmarks Preservation Committee (LPC) voted unanimously to approve Coney Island’s 2.7-mile-long Riegelmann Boardwalk as a scenic landmark. The boardwalk shares this designation with the likes of Central Park, Prospect Park, and Ocean Parkway.

Thursday’s celebratory event featured local community leaders and Coney Island performers and culminated in a free silent disco party for all!

“I can’t think of a better 95th birthday present for the Coney Island Riegelmann than a celebration marking this historic landmark designation,” said Council Member Treyger. “The Boardwalk’s iconic status and significance is a reflection of the spirit it embodies. It is the fun, free place that celebrates accessibility and inclusiveness by being available to all people of all backgrounds. It is a critical part of our community’s culture, history, and tradition, and it is one of the most recognizable places in Brooklyn and our city.”

Treyger has long championed the preservation of the boardwalk, introducing a resolution that would protect any physical alteration that might threaten the historical character of the boardwalk.

“This hard-fought victory ensures that the story of southern Brooklyn is safeguarded, and that this beloved structure is preserved and protected in perpetuity,” he added. “I thank my colleagues in the NYC Council, including Council Member Chaim Deutsch and Speaker Corey Johnson and all of the elected officials who have been so supportive, and I am incredibly grateful to the community members who played such an integral role in raising awareness, never giving up, and fighting to make this happen. This was truly a community-led effort, which is fitting, because now the Boardwalk will always be there for our community and millions of others to enjoy.”

The landmark designation will “recognize the historic and cultural importance of the boardwalk while protecting its physical presence along the coastline and its general parameters including the configuration of the boardwalk (length and width),” according to the LPC. The agency will act in an advisory capacity to the Public Design Commission, which oversees scenic landmarks, regarding any future changes made to the boardwalk.