Coney Island’s Luna Park opened for the season Sunday, despite some damage from Hurricane Sandy that almost delayed the event. Credit: Jude Domski/Getty Images
Coney Island’s Luna Park opened Sunday for the first time since Hurricane Sandy. While local leaders and longtime fans of the park celebrated the traditional opening that comes one week before Easter every year, some local residents who are still struggling to recover from the storm came out to protest.
The opening arrived on schedule, even though devastation from the storm almost delayed the event, the New York Times reported. The storm had damaged rides and flooded electrical equipment. Most restaurants still remain closed, but Sunday’s celebration and opening of the rides signaled a return to normalcy for some New Yorkers.
Sunday’s excitement also highlighted how much more work needs to be done in the area following the storm’s damage. About a dozen nearby residents came out to the park to protest. They held signs that read “Coney Island is not back” and “People live here,” the Times reported.
A number of local businesses as well as major institutions like libraries, hospitals and police stations remain closed in the area.
Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz said he understands the residents’ concerns and that it is important to keep the focus on them.
