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Q&A

Council member inquires about ferry's impact on local businesses

2:53:35

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Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers engages in a Q&A session with Wayne Richards about the economic impact of the ferry service on local businesses in the Rockaway Peninsula.

Richards explains that businesses near the ferry stop on the west end ('uptown') benefit from increased foot traffic and visitors.
He notes that the eastern end of the peninsula does not currently see similar benefits from the ferry service.
Brooks-Powers thanks Richards for his insights on the disparity in economic impact between different areas of the peninsula.

Selvena Brooks-Powers

2:53:35

Thank you so much, Mister Richards.

2:53:38

And you touched on something in terms of the the the businesses that are on the eastern end of the peninsula.

2:53:47

Can you speak to some of your observation in terms of, like, if if you observe a boom in support for local businesses on the West End, just trying to tie in how the ferry is connected to economic success in many instances with our local small businesses on the peninsula.

Wayne Richards

2:54:09

Right.

2:54:10

So what you do notice is that when the ferry stops off uptown, we call it our website uptown.

2:54:16

Right?

2:54:17

You'll notice that the stores, they the local store, they they benefit from the incoming summer crowds and incoming businesses.

2:54:26

The people that are coming over, they benefit from that because it's there.

2:54:29

The family's right there.

2:54:30

They come out.

2:54:31

That's uptown, downtown, if you will.

2:54:35

So all the shopping and everything is here.

2:54:36

So the the guests that are coming, the visitors that are coming, they get to pass the pieces of shop that you're making, restaurants, the the smaller clothing stores that we have.

2:54:46

So they're benefiting on that end.

2:54:48

On the other end, there's no if we can create certain things, there will be benefits.

2:54:54

However, there's no real benefits from the ferry coming to the peninsula.

2:54:59

The only area is really benefiting is the Uptown side, which will be the west side.

Selvena Brooks-Powers

2:55:05

Thank you for that.

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Testimony by Wayne Richards, Member of Public on NYC Ferry and Infrastructure

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