Historian Roberta Fiore recalled the names of celebrities from decades
past the visited or performed on the Long Beach boardwalk: Fred Astaire,
Charlie Chaplin, Isadora Duncan and Clyde Ziegfeld.
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“Rudolph Valentino danced on the boardwalk in 1928,” Fiore told more
than a thousand people that attended ceremony to commemorate the
Hurricane Sandy-battered boardwalk Saturday morning at Grand Boulevard, before
the structure is demolished in coming weeks.
Among Fiore’s stories was one about two elephants, Roger and Alice, that
were taken to the barrier island from Coney Island as part of a publicity stunt
to promote the boardwalk when it was under construction in 1907.
“When
you look at this boardwalk, let these memories and this history talk to you,”
she said. “We have a proud future but we had a very colorful and interesting
past.”
Like Fiore, other city residents and local officials who addressed the
crowd remembered the iconic wooden walkway fondly but also struck an optimistic
tone for the new boardwalk to come.
Resident Colleen Quinn read a poem by her brother Patrick, a Long Beach
High School alum who moved to California, which he wrote from the perspective
of the boardwalk and touched on everything from summer concerts to Polar Bear
splashes to drinking beers underneath the walkway.
“I tried to hold back the raging storm/Tried to protect you from all the
harm/I did it for Gloria, Felix, Irene/The dunes and I kept things mostly
serene/I hope this would just be another storm winter age/But I failed you and
now it is I who is splintered.”
Assemblyman
Harvey Weisenberg, who has lived in the city since 1934, likened the boardwalk
to an extended family and called it a symbol of love and happiness, while
Nassau County Legislator Denise Ford, who resides in the West End, recalled
taking her young daughter to a Ferris wheel that still stood along the
boardwalk when she moved to the city in 1980.
City
Council member John McLaughlin found it ironic that his first kiss was under
Grand Boulevard boardwalk and that he first turned on a wave while surfing on
its beach.
“Hopefully
we’ll be able to build a newer, a better boardwalk,” McLaughlin said. “It won’t
have the same memories. It won’t be the same thing. But change is something
that comes with any tragedy.”
Both City Manager Jack Schnirman and Council Vice President Scott Mandel
vowed to rebuild “strong, smarter and safer,” the three-word phrase that has
become the city’s mantra after Sandy struck in October.
“Today
is the beginning of the real big comeback and today is the day that was say goodbye
to an old friend and we get ready to rebuild stronger, smarter and safer,” Schnirman
said to open the ceremony.
Following the event, residents took home with them cut-up pieces of the
boardwalk that the city was giving out as souvenirs.
“The boardwalk is the life of surrounding communities, not just long
beach,” said Mike Jerchower, an Oceanside resident and boardwalk-goer. “People
come here from all over the South Shore and all over the country.”
RELATED
Thousands Bid Farewell to Iconic Long Beach Boardwalk
Ceremony held at Grand Boulevard Saturday before structure is demolished in coming weeks.
The crowd at the ceremony. Credit: Joseph Kellard
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barry greene May 25, 2013 at 10:19 am
just look at our own town.
you see what a bunch of mentally challenged people can do to town?
now…Read More multiply this by a billion.
that is your federal government at work.
the average person is just tuned out until they pay their taxes.
sad
Leonard Bauman May 24, 2013 at 08:15 pm
FEMA and City of Long Beach are not bigots or racists, they are IDIOTS. Idiots are stupid…Read More ignoramouses that are robbing and shortchanging all of us, while they enrich themselves at the taxpayer's expense. So, the HDTV you want FEMA to pay for is money in a FEMA adjuster's pocket. No TV for you and money for them, racism no, thievery yes!
Tonya Karrakas May 24, 2013 at 08:14 pm
First off , the City of Long Beach does not control FEMA. If you feel FEMA has wronged you in a…Read More discriminatory way , file a suit against FEMA not the City. I think how everyone pitch in to help rebuild the MLK center shows proof that the community is unbiased when help is needed. The bigotry is when assumptions are made as to why one person received, while another waits. There are plenty of families from all different backgrounds in Long Beach still waiting for financial assistance from FEMA.
Leonard Bauman May 24, 2013 at 03:46 pm
The fencing is needed to collect $12 beach fares, otherwise who will pay to go on the beach if the…Read More beach is free if you walk on, if there was no fence? Why pay for the beach, if there is no fence?
Leonard Bauman May 24, 2013 at 01:40 pm
Long Beach does not need an economic development corp. Small business people already know these…Read More entities are patronage salary mills that do not help them similar to SBA disaster assistance loans or FEMA assistance for small business. Small businesses know where to get help and do not need to pay higher taxes for an entity that offers lip service and no financial help, or financial help only to Democrat party donator patrons.
Tina Bayer-Hummel May 24, 2013 at 07:12 pm
I did think it was a political message as much as it was a information update call. Long beach is…Read More still in recovery and not everyone knows the status of the town.
Charlie K May 24, 2013 at 04:25 pm
Thank you Leonard for pointing it out to me. They can't even come up with a slogan of their own.
Leonard Bauman May 24, 2013 at 03:45 pm
Actually the stole that slogan from FEMA, which has been touting this slogan since Hurricane Katrina…Read More in 2005.
Leonard Bauman May 24, 2013 at 01:20 pm
Why not book at the Long Beach Hotel, call the operator to get the phone number. The new Long Beach…Read More Hotel is luxurious and only $149 a night centrally located in Long Beach's wealthy and well to do and uppity East End.
john peri Jr May 23, 2013 at 04:48 pm
TRIVIA: Joseph Carlino, former Speaker of the NY State Assembly, gave a speech on the 5th…Read More Amendment at my high school graduation. His father was the Republican leader in Long Beach.
Patrick Smith May 23, 2013 at 04:38 pm
She will be questioned by kid gloved committee , and a back room deal will be made .Repukes get what…Read More they want and obama will fire her with a golden parachute ,end of story.This is America
Tideline May 23, 2013 at 12:04 pm
She also is still collecting a big paycheck for a job that she took the 5th on and would not answer…Read More any questions. She should be immediately suspended without pay. She won't she is protected by the Obama umbrella. I predict she will be recalled, since she made a statement and that negated her 5th protections. When she refuses again next time, she should be found in contempt of Congress.
andy napolitano May 24, 2013 at 04:08 pm
I am hoping LB Humane Society can step-in for those in Long Beach that need assistance with their…Read More animals. They will be moving to new location early-June. It will across the street (Austin Blvd.) from the Lazy Cow/Dairy Barn...not too far from Ralph's Ices. Now it will be easier for the peole of Long Beach to bring their animals there & not use The LB Shelter.
andy napolitano May 24, 2013 at 10:27 am
Long Beach never even put the shelter up for bidding! I'm sure there were other groups that may have…Read More been interested in running the shelter but when the contract ran out they just resigned without putting it out there for anyone else to see.
Leonard Bauman May 23, 2013 at 09:27 pm
The victims are the poor defenseless cats and dogs in that shelter that Rescue Ink was using as…Read More donation pawns, giving the cats and dogs scrimps while spending the large spoils on their own selfish selves. Why can't the North Shore Animal League take over the shelter and make it a second adoption site to complement their location in Port Washington?
Patrick Smith May 23, 2013 at 04:42 pm
This is economic cleansing by vulture capitalists ,Agenda 21 moving as planned
Tideline May 23, 2013 at 07:45 am
I spoke with the construction mgr who told me that the entire bsmt, 1 st flr were flooded and 2 feet…Read More of water onto the second floor. Foundation is sound, that is why they will be moving back in within 60 days. As bad as the damage looks, their financial picture seems even worse. Construction mgr did not seem to care about the owners situation, just finishing the work.
Me May 22, 2013 at 10:46 am
Might actually be cheaper to buy a used RV. It doesn't need to really run or drive well. You can…Read More find them on craigslist for as little as $1,000 dollars. Even if you change aout all matresses, clean up etc you could be all in for only the cost of a month or two rent. Then you can re-sell, donate to charity or give it away free when done and no problem if construction runs long you own it.
andy napolitano May 23, 2013 at 03:34 pm
Just speculating that Schumer is buddies with Joe Panzarella & the shelter got finished while…Read More other places are still waiting. People can take what they want from that comment but it looks fishy.
andy napolitano May 23, 2013 at 08:26 am
Yeah I've seen all the pictures of Joe "Panz" Panzarella with Chuck Schumer. Rescue Ink…Read More gets their shelter back but so many other things that are more important are still not up & running. The few animals that Rescue Ink had were in a safe warehouse so there was no real hurry to move them back to the building the shelter is in but they're back. "Politics make strange bedfellows" isn't that the saying? Chuck & Joe. Makes ya wanna go Hmmmmmmmm!!!!!!
Eddie May 22, 2013 at 10:52 am
Your bill of sale on Craigslist says the door is Fiberglas, not "clear pine".
Tony D May 24, 2013 at 06:05 pm
Seaside heights NJ, boardwalk opens today 5 miles long ! Ribbon cutting and all, gov chistie should…Read More see Long beach . 2.5 miles no boardwalk but the city today has fences up and ticket booths in place so they could collect money to get on the beach. What about the people who use just walk the boardwalk? I wouldn't doubt they charge for walking on the boardwalk next year! That's if it's DONE, LMAO new York state the vampire state!
Erica May 23, 2013 at 01:51 am
What about the foot bridges to just get in the beach in the west end? And the people still out of…Read More their homes? And the phoney letters claiming outrageous percentages of damage (proven to be untrue) to get us to raise the houses for how many thousands to be reassessed higher taxes?
Eddie May 22, 2013 at 09:21 pm
Asbury Park = Democrats.
Freeport = Democrats
Rockaway = Democrats
Long Beach = Democrats.
paul.d.spellman May 21, 2013 at 10:56 am
If you have an alarm system, you need to pay the city fee. They hired an outside company to manage…Read More the payments so now the fee is expected to be collected.
Leonard Bauman May 21, 2013 at 07:33 pm
I have heard 3 stories: the movie theatre owner had no flood insurance and will need to find $$ to…Read More rebuild, no $$ so far; the theatre will be razed and will become home to 4 stores, the movie theatre will be renovated into a world class theatre with surround sound and ticket prices of $2 for children and $4 for adults except after 4PM.