And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there
Back in my early teens I was a fireworks fanatic. Bottle rockets, cherry bombs, bricks of firecrackers, roman candles, etc. gave me great joy. It also made me and my compadres the scourge of the suburban street I grew up on, which was largely inhabited by retirees for some reason – whose fanaticism centered around gardening. So it is with great reluctance, mainly as a result of my unwillingness to concede to adulthood, that I write this post.
As anyone who has stuck around LIC knows, Center Boulevard has begun to resemble Coney Island as summer approaches. The most visible aspect of this is the expanding multiplicity of food trucks and carts along the sidewalks. Like it or not, this is capitalism at its best and worst, they’re just following the crowds and have finally discovered the fact that there are fairly large ones along the waterfront during the summer. 1 This year to a greater extent than ever, which pandemic or not has mirrored the growth rate of the past five years or so.
No problem so far, the parks along the waterfront are fantastic and easily accessible and should be enjoyed by everyone. Plus as local residents know we get them largely to ourselves the rest of the year/weekdays/mornings etc. Where issues have arisen recently – and almost regularly – are at night. And by night I mean after Gantry Park is technically closed. And at all hours of the night. And by issues, I’m predominantly referring to noise, and by noise I’m talking about very loud noise that is waking up the immediate neighborhood.
Most noticeable are the fireworks. Roman candles down by the river just north of the final pier, with a splendid Manhattan skyline in the back. No backlash? ‘Hmm, why don’t we move the launchpad right into the middle of the plaza in front of the Gantry’s just steps from where patrol cars could cruise by?’ Audacious, brazen – when I was growing up you did everything possible to avoid the attention of the police when lighting fireworks, which given the subject matter was not an easy task. Equally loud, and even more persistent, is the drag racing/revving/testing-of- audio-systems by cars, motorcycles, and supersized ATV’s. Not sure how effective a citation might be, but a little police presence here and there might avert the need and convince the motorists that this location isn’t worth their time to come back to. That goes for all the other revelers and yellers unaware that their actions might be affecting those nearby.
Oh what a curmudgeon I’ve become.
//Election Day – if you haven’t succumbed to the barrage of flyers offering to vote by mail, and you qualify, and you want to vote, then this Tuesday, June 23 is your chance to participate in what look to be some interesting primaries. Almost exclusively for Democrats here in NYC, which in many cases will determine the winner. Will we go left or right or right down the middle…?
Alewife Shutting It’s LIC Location – on 51st Avenue for the past decade
Rendering Revealed For 39-04 29th Street in Dutch Kills – 20 units penciled in about half a block from Dutch Kills Centraal
3 Best Deals On Apartments With Outdoor Space Under $3k – a 2-br in a 10-yr old bldg in LIC for $2,925
Why Rents Haven’t Dropped In NYC – they are and they will continue to
- Well, I could undertake a full diatribe over the poor selection/monotony of the types of food trucks along Center Blvd, I mean Wmsbg gets lobster, pierogis and ceviche while we get grilled hot dogs, sausages, and meat on a stick [↩]
Rich L says
June 19, 2020 at 12:13 pmThe current situation on center blvd is out of control. I hear everything. I hate the fireworks but also the drag racing and revving of engines is just absurd. I’m not a car guy but when you hear these loud noises from 1am to 4 am with no police presence, it’s getting out of hand. Calls to the police precinct go unanswered. Bring back LIC.
Buzz says
June 19, 2020 at 7:07 pmThe “explosion” in fireworks is not just in LIC this summer:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/19/nyregion/fireworks-every-night-nyc.html?action=click&module=Editors%20Picks&pgtype=Homepage
anonymous says
June 20, 2020 at 12:48 amHunters’ point south park is out of control. Groups of young very loud people, drinking and peeing. on the streets, so many motorcycles, and the fireworks from midnight until 2 am is just ridiculous. This is all from people who don’t even live here, but they come to destroy everything. The park green areas are being destroyed as well. Cops used to patrol but now they are nowhere. Its all too sad.
anonymous says
June 22, 2020 at 1:13 pmYour statement couldn’t be more correct. It’s really sad the amount of trash people who are visiting the park and don’t even live here.
Anonymous says
June 24, 2020 at 10:24 am100%
Anonymous says
June 20, 2020 at 12:52 amis 2 am right now, can’t go back to sleep. The fireworks woke me up arroung 12 am. Have to go to work tomorrow at a hospital. Why is everyone going out of control? Where is the respect? nobody cares. This young generation is more selfish than mine. Enough is enough!
Anonymous says
June 20, 2020 at 4:13 pmOn Thursday evening, cars entered the park next to Maiella and proceeded to drive down to the boardwalk, yelling “m****f***ers” out of their windows. I have the video and call to 911 to prove it. It’s absolute chaos here, as it is across the city. #defunddeblasio!
Anonymous says
June 22, 2020 at 5:01 pmI’ve been a property investor for over 5 years ago and all I want to do is run away from this area. Who is representing us? Why don’t they listen to us? The area is getting MUCH worse and, given we may lose some small businesses to COVID, this area will just become much worse. If not for the amenities in the rental buildings and the views on the water, what else is there in LIC? Yes we’re a community but nobody has our best interests in mind. I used to LOVE LIC and still love a few restaurants in the area, but it’s in a major decline compared to what it could have been even a year ago.
Anonymous says
June 22, 2020 at 5:02 pmTime to leave!
Anonymous says
June 23, 2020 at 2:59 pmNYC needs a Republican mayor in the WORST way possible. Are there major issues with the police and policing in general? Of course, there are. But they are a necessary “evil” at this stage in human evolution.
How much worse do things have to get before people come to their senses???
Anonymous says
June 23, 2020 at 4:01 pmAs a community, we really have to look at ourselves in the mirror. We elected the politicians and, locally speaking, its basically a popularity contest. These politicians legit pushed away job opportunities for thousands of people in our neighborhood, in advocating for defunding the police they don’t mention a thing about how they’re still essential for security, they don’t show up when we need them and, for many I talk to in the neighborhood that aren’t reviewing websites like I do, it feels like we’re in the midst of a major car crash.
Anonymous says
June 24, 2020 at 9:37 amThis has been building for some time. The neighborhood has become much dirtier over the past two years, the smell of weed is pervasive (here and across the city), garbage is a growing problem. There is no one minding the shop, and the problem starts at the top – the mayor.
The far-left wing, DSA-backed candidates have the energy and the momentum right now. Their backers show up and vote. We had an election yesterday, and it was a clean sweep. Even Maloney may lose her seat! Until the moderate wing comes to terms with reality and reorganizes itself, this is the way things will continue to go. I don’t think this is what the majority of the city wants, but it may take reaching a crisis point for people to take action. The increase in the number of shootings is terrifying. In the meantime, the police have their hands tied, and we can expect tax increases across the board given the impending fiscal disaster.
After 40 years in NYC, 10+ of those in LIC, for the first time I am looking seriously at the suburbs. I remember the NYC of my childhood vividly and not sure I need to relive it. Sad, but these things go in cycles. I have no interest in subsidizing nonsense political theories.
Barbara says
October 18, 2020 at 11:34 amI live in Sudbury and people from urban areas moving in. Cars fireworks at nigh too. People democrats are not the answer. Only blame yourself if you vote left again.
Anonymous says
June 23, 2020 at 6:59 pmCan we all band together and report these m-fers to 311? The police keep closing my complaints without any research and I’m just one person. One person they can ignore, but they can’t ignore us all.
I made 3 parking complaints tonight – 2 of them including cars blocking fire hydrants, and they closed my cases without even having come look. I have the records to prove it. The 311 update said that the cars were “gone upon arrival” which is not possible because I’ve been sitting here the whole time and no one came to look.
Bob says
June 26, 2020 at 9:10 pmI am on, tell me where to sign up.
Anonymous says
June 28, 2020 at 8:50 pmJust google illegal parking 311. Super easy!
Bob says
June 26, 2020 at 9:54 pmNightly fireworks 10 pm – 2 am. For weeks as of now. It’s Friday 10 pm and they just started. Warming up, b*****s.
Hm… Every day. For weeks. Four hour shifts. Does it sound like kids? Besides, fireworks cost money. I’ve seen the leftovers, those are not the cheap ones. They’ve easily spent several thousand just in our park alone already. That might easily translate into a mil or so city wide. Also, one has to get those fireworks and deliver them, every night, on schedule. Many large boxes. They keep going, there is no accidents, so they are some trained professionals who know how to handle the stuff.
This looks like a well organized and financed city wide campaign. It’s the same people every night, same fireworks, same schedule, same style and signature. The cops ignore it, so they’ve been probably told to stay away, or maybe are getting paid too. And I understand them. The whole city disrespects, denigrates and defunds them.
So, who is behind all of this? Somebody like Soros?
You ruined our home says
July 10, 2020 at 1:29 amIt’s 2 AM, I live in 4615 TFC and there has been music blasting from somewhere outside since 11 PM. My lease is up in 2 months and I’m leaving. All the complaints voiced here are valid and I’m not going to pay all this money to live here when it is no longer enjoyable or beneficial. And to the trash that leaves trash around, you’re trash.