PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Anthony Batista, Executive Director of Coney Island Anti Violence Collaborative on Coney Island Ferry Service
2:40:14
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122 sec
Anthony Batista, Executive Director of Coney Island Anti Violence Collaborative, testifies about the urgent need for a ferry service in Coney Island. He highlights the long-standing promise of a ferry, transportation challenges, and the potential benefits for residents.
- Discusses the city's unfulfilled 2012 promise for a Coney Island ferry
- Describes severe traffic congestion issues, with travel times of up to 1 hour 15 minutes just to leave the peninsula
- Mentions a failed 2018 attempt to start ferry service in Kaiser Park due to environmental concerns
- Emphasizes how the lack of efficient transportation impacts work opportunities for parents
Anthony Batista
2:40:14
Hello, everyone.
2:40:15
My name is Anthony Batista.
2:40:16
I'm also a community organizer and advocate for Kony Island.
2:40:19
I'm the executive director for the Kony Island anti violence collaborative as well.
2:40:23
You know, The city around 2012, they came out and they promised the Coney Island ferry.
2:40:30
The ADC the EDC came out and they themselves realized that Coney Island is a little over a mile and a half.
2:40:38
Answer the sup for the 1st sup for only train station.
2:40:40
Still well.
2:40:41
So with that being said, during seasonal times, the traffic were gridlocked.
2:40:49
You know, I know Marie, she mentioned couple of hours.
2:40:51
That's for 4th July.
2:40:52
But on a regular summer day, I've it's taken me drive to drive out an hour 8 to hour 15 minutes just to get out of the peninsula, just to hit the Bell Parkway.
2:41:02
That's that's absurd.
2:41:04
You know, in 2018, the EDC, they did come out.
2:41:07
They started doing the ferry in in Kaisa Park.
2:41:09
The residents were telling everyone when they started judging, when they started digging, that they were getting dizzy.
2:41:14
They found out that there were toxins coming in the air, so they halted.
2:41:16
It was a waste of money for the city, but the residents were telling them not to do it.
2:41:21
They were telling them the moment they started drilling, they weren't feeling well.
2:41:24
No one listened until finally, they got fined, and then they realized they made a mistake.
2:41:29
We deserve a ferry.
2:41:30
You know, the hour 8 minutes in the summertime is is just ridiculous.
2:41:35
Over a mile and a half for someone to go from Seagate to Stillwell, We can't rely on the buses.
2:41:40
They're trying to they're trying to take away buses.
2:41:42
They're trying to close bus lanes.
2:41:43
How else is anybody gonna be able to travel?
2:41:45
It took me to drive here.
2:41:48
It took an hour 25 minutes to drive.
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The train will be an hour 32 minutes just to get here.
2:41:53
I put it on my GPS.
2:41:55
Know, it it'll cut about 30 to 45 minutes to the ferry just to get to the city.
2:41:59
You know, a a parent that has to get to to work an hour 30 minutes, that's you can't work.
2:42:05
You know, you have to drop off your kids at school 7:30 to 8 o'clock.
2:42:08
From 8 o'clock, what job is gonna hire you from 9 to 12:30 to be able to get you can't work if you have children.
2:42:14
So we we desperately
