Not too long ago I decided to stroll by Coney Island before it get neglected more that already is; and/or the city decides to sell it or erase it from the face of the Earth!

The area was a major resort and site of amusement parks that reached its peak in the early 20th century. It declined in popularity after World War II and endured years of neglect. In recent years, the area has seen the opening of KeySpan Park, home to the Brooklyn Cyclones minor league baseball team.

I took my Canon Elan7 with 2 rolls of film (color and B&W) just to give an old school look to my photography.

The Parachute Jump

The Parachute Jump, originally the Life Savers Parachute Jump at the 1939 New York World’s Fair, was the first ride of its kind. Patrons were hoisted 190 feet (58 m) in the air before being allowed to drop using guy-wired parachutes. Although the ride has been closed since 1968, it remains a Coney Island landmark and is sometimes referred to as “Brooklyn’s Eiffel Tower.” Between 2002 and 2004, the Jump was completely dismantled, cleaned, painted and restored, but remains inactive. After an official lighting ceremony in July 2006, the Parachute Jump was slated to be lit year round using different color motifs to represent the seasons. However, this idea was scrapped when New York City started conserving electricity in the summer months. It has not been lit regularly since.

The Cyclone

The Cyclone roller coaster, built in 1927, is one of the nation’s oldest wooden coasters still in operation. A favorite of some coaster aficionados, the Cyclone includes an 85-foot (26 m), 60 degree drop. It is owned by the City, and was operated by Astroland, under a franchise agreement. It is located across the street from Astroland.

and my favorite The Wonder Wheel

Built in 1918 and opened in 1920, this steel Ferris wheel has both stationary cars and rocking cars that slide along a track. It holds 144 riders, stands 150 feet (46 m) tall, and weighs over 2,000 tons. At night the Wonder Wheel’s steel frame is outlined and illuminated by neon tubes. It is part of Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusement Park.

Besides the rides, Coney Island still maintains a broad sandy beach from West 37th Street at Seagate through the Coney Island and Brighton Beach to the beginning of the community of Manhattan Beach, a distance of approximately 2½ miles (~4.0 km). The beach is continuous and is served for its entire length by the broad Riegelmann boardwalk. A number of amusements are directly accessible from the land side of the boardwalk, as is the New York Aquarium and a variety of food shops and arcades.

Coney Island Website
text by Wiki
All the images can be found at my Flickr account.

Overall, I felt that The Coney Island rides are have been neglected as well as some other attractions like bumper cars and the haunted houses. I think the city should develop this location for future generation.
As far as the beach goes… well can’t say much since I never get in the water here in NYC.

jmartinez