Timeline for Surfing Access at Rockaway Beach
Monday, April 11th, 2005
By Victor Sinansky
Thanks for everyone's efforts in the establishment of the first designated surf beach in Rockaway Beach. Olga Fiore at the Department of Parks had contacted me to confirm the upcoming important historical event for our communities first "surf beach designation - Beach 88th to Beach 90th street," which will be held at: 2:00 p.m. on Friday, April 22nd at the Beach 91th Street boardwalk. All surfers are requested to attend, and please bring your surfboards (and, of couse surf gear, if surf conditions permit) for this special event.
A special thanks to members of our local government, especially local Queens Congresswoman Audrey Pheffer, local Queens Councilman Joe Addabbo, Department of Parks and Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe, our new Department of Parks & Recreation Queens Commissioner Dorothy Lewandowski, Rockaway NYPD 100th Precinct Captain Paul Piekarski, and Chairman of the Surfriders Foundation NYC Joel Banslaben. These officials above, worked very closely with the local surfing community to ensure not only future surf beach access, but to permit access during the past 3 years while both the neccessary code and law changes were enacted at the state and local level.
Below provides a three year timeline to reflect the events of both the community and goverment working together, to improve not only the quality of life in the Rockaways (ex. the ability to work in city (or metro) and have access to surfing), but the related economic benefits for those that enjoy both surfing and water recreational activities, to add Rockaway to their way of life:
Historical Three Year Timeline for Surfing Access at Rockaway Beach
In May 2003 , The New York Police Department NYPD 100th Precinct (Rockaway Beach jurisdiction), under the leadership of Captain Talamo, began issuing class "C" summons to surfers. The reasons for issuing the summons, was based two events. First, Captain Talamo became the new captain at that time and was building an image as a "no nonsense" leader. Second, Captain Talamo strongly both promoted and implemented our prior Mayor Guliani's "Quality of Life Campaign", which sets goals to improve the quality of life for New York City Residents, by gradually ticketing activities that are defined as minor offenses.
During the entire summer of 2003 , surfers were issued class "C" summons by the 100th Precinct police officers, if they were surfing after the lifeguards left their duty at 6:00 p.m.. Such issuing of tickets was permissible because the New York State Health Code statutes under Sections 6-2.2-,6-2.15 and 6-2.16 in summary states "No boating, water skiing, or surfboarding shall be permitted in the swimming and bathing area." The 100th precinct used this antiquated statue that was created prior to the mainstream popularity of the sport of surfing during the 1960's.
In a Rockaway Community perspective, the sport of surfing is an integral part of both the community and the economy. Over the past 50 years the Rockaway community has been a hard working class community. Many of these residents choose the Rockaways as their home, for easy accessibility to surfing, fishing, scuba diving and boating. However, Rockaway is unique, in that it is part of New York City, and is the only ocean front in New York City that has ocean wave crests, like Long Island and New Jersey.
June 2003, Rockaway surfers (Victor Sinansky (resident & Surfrider NYC), Elena Kissel (Surfrider Foundation NYC legal counsel),Tim Hill (resident), and Xavier Ceniceros (resident), have continued to work closely with our local Councilman Joe Addabbo, our local assembly woman Audrey Pheffer, The Department of Parks local Superintendent Jim Carfaro and the Department of Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe so that the New York State health code sections 6-2.2,6-2.15,and 6-2.16, which would both amend the definition of "bathing", to exclude the water "sports of fishing, scuba diving and surfboarding", as well as, indicate that these sporting activities of fishing, scuba diving and surfboarding are permissible at designated areas.
During August 2003 , after the Rockaway community uproar of ticketing surfers, and it was determined that the state health code required an amendment which would take approximately 2 years, the Department of Parks agreed to permit surfing in the Rockaways, and the Rockaway NYPD 100th precinct did not enforce the antiquated rules and regulations of bathing.
The year-round (please note non-surfers that surfing is a year round sport in the Rockaways, through the use of winter wet suites) interim rules that were set by the Department of Parks and recreation during 2003 and 2004 were that surfing is permitted when the life guards are "off duty", and beach access is permitted from 6:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m..
During two years of persistence by the Rockaway surfing community, in May 2004 a 45 day comments period was held during the amendment of the definition of "bathing" and "sports of surfing, fishing, and scuba diving." As of July 2004 the New York State Health code statute had been amended.
However, the designated surf beach area has not been defined. During September 2004, The City of New York, The NYC Department of Parks&Recreation, and our local Rockaway politicians have agreed that a "surf only" beach will be established for 2 blocks. This "surf only" beach will be a designated two block beach section of Rockaway Beach, that "Only Surfing" and neither "bathing" nor "swimming" will be permitted, during the entire year (all seasons).
Also during September 2004 the Department of Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe, requested a list of surfers for correspondence in obtaining preferences by actual rockaway surfers as to the appropriate two blocks of Rockaway Beach to be the "surf only" beach designated for surfing. A list was compiled and sent to Joanne Shapiro at Assemblywoman Audrey Pheffer's office, which was then forwarded onto Mr. Adrian Benepe.
During November 2004, the first "surf only" designated surf beach location from Beach 88th to Beach 90th street was formalized. During the winter of 2005, it was determined that the "surf only" designated surf beach would be established just prior to the opening of the public beach access on the Memorial Day weekend. The ceremony for this historical designated surf only beach access, held at 2:00 p.m., on Friday, April 22nd, at the boardwalk, Beach 90th Street, Rockaway Beach.
Future Action
At this point in time, no future action is required. However, as the community of the Rockaway's continues to grow positively, more visitors will establish residences and consider the Rockaway's their community. In a few years, because of both local surfing popularity, webcam availabilty (Surfline.com began in April 2004) and technological enhancements in surfing winter gear (which makes winter more like summer), another surf beach designation might be required by demand.
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