Few things unite New Yorkers quicker than transportation. Whether complaining about the MTA, giving someone directions, or debating the best possible route to get where you’re going, New Yorkers love talking about how we get around the city. For those of us in Greenpoint, who only have access to one subway, transportation can be an especially touchy subject.
Now you have the opportunity to share your thoughts on your transit situation with someone who can actually do something about. The Neighbors Allied for Good Growth (NAG) are working on their first advocacy campaign centered on transportation. They are conducting a survey on transportation issues in Greenpoint and Williamsburg. The results will be shared with representatives and city officials next week.
Everyone gives me crap for not being a “real” Greenpointer, but my great grandfather G. Clement Edson was the pastor of the Noble Street Presbyterian Church (1907-1911) and my grandmother Isabelle was born on Noble St. Why does this matter?
Great Grandpa’s wedding to his new wife, Gertrude, a choir girl, after his first wife, who was my biological Grandmother died, caused major drama in Greenpoint. The old ladies of the church had another dame picked out for him, but old Clem knew who he wanted. A headline in the Brooklyn Eagle read, Pastor Marries Chorus Girl, which is very different from a choir girl. 20th Century Greenpoint gossip! While I need to do some digging in the Brooklyn Eagle archives, the story even made it into the NY Times.
And aside from personal validation, my great grandmother Gertrude used to swim in the Newtown Creek! Explains a lot, right? We can imagine it was a beautiful and natural place back then.
Annie Edson Taylor
This is not the first instance of a ballsy female ancestor taking risks with water. I’m also related to the infamous Annie Edson Taylor, who went over Niagara Falls in a barrel. Today, I would do that before taking a plunge into the Newtown Creek.
These days if you see someone swimming in the Newtown Creek, (after you lol,) call 911.
1. DON’T EAT ANYTHING OUT OF THE NEWTOWN CREEK! “Eating fish and crabs taken from Newtown Creek could harm people’s health, due to the chemical contaminants. Women under 50 years old and children under 15 years old should not eat any fish or crabs from these waters. Others should follow the State Health Department advisories for eating fish and crabs taken from this and other waterways. There is currently a fish consumption advisory for Newtown Creek.”
2. DON’T SWIM IN THE NEWTOWN CREEK! “Swimming, scuba diving and wind surfing (with full body immersion) could harm people’s health, due to biological contaminants and physical hazards (underwater debris, commercial boat traffic).”
3. YOU CAN TOUCH IT, BUT WASH YOUR HANDS! “Canoeing, kayaking, boat touring and catch-and-release fishing are not expected to harm people’s health, if people use precautions (properly washing their hands) to avoid swallowing biological contaminants from surface water.
This is an important step for public safety information. Is there any hope for the Newtown Creek? Can it ever be cleaned up back to the time when Great Grandma Gertrude swam there?
- Shops signs in Greenpoint. Photo by Flickr member Anna Majkowska
If you are going to open your business in Greenpoint, be ready for a red tape – city, federal and state taxes, both personal and corporate. Besides, learn about types of business that have more chances to succeed in the neighborhood.
Ed Veneziano, the owner of men’s clothing store Cato’s Army & Navy and one of the co-chairs of the Greenpoint Business Alliance, said many businesses – new and old – struggle with rent.
