Governors Island Ferry from Brooklyn (image source: brooklynheightsblog.com)
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Brooklyn Wants More Ferries to Governors Island

The Borough of Churches has spoken. Brooklyn wants more ferries to serve the Borough to take residents to the island.

Dana Rubinstein writes in Capital New York that when MayorBill de Blasio said the city would increase ferry service in Gotham, he forgot to include Governors Island.

“Unfortunately, access is dramatically limited for Brooklyn residents, while Manhattan residents have daily access five days in the off-season and seven in the summer,” said Councilman Brad Lander, who represents Park Slope.

Last week, Lander, along with Rep. Nydia Velazquez, Assembywoman Jo Anne Simon, State Senator Daniel Squadron and Council members Steve Levin and Margaret Chin sent a letter to the mayor urging him to provide ferry service between Brooklyn and the island daily in the summer and five days a week the rest of the year.

While Manhattan has daily service, Brooklyn has smaller boats that only operate on Saturdays and Sundays. As Rubinstein points out, many now are demanding equal access. And with the new improvements rolling out in 2015, demand will be greater.

 

 

Kevin C. Fitzpatrick has written and edited seven books with ties to New York history, including "The Governors Island Explorer's Guide" and "World War I New York: A Guide to the City’s Enduring Ties to the Great War." Kevin is a licensed sightseeing guide and has been leading walking tours since 1999. He resides in Manhattan.