2 JULY 21 - JULY 27, 2017 BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP
SEVEN CONEY-BOUND N
PLATFORMS TO CLOSE JULY 31
According to the MTA, beginning 5 a.m. on Monday,
July 31, the Coney Island-bound platforms at seven N
stations will close until late 2018 for the final phase
of a major, nearly-$400 billion renovation project to
modernize the century-old stations and upgrade track
infrastructure along the corridor.
During the renovations, southbound N trains will
run express from Eighth Avenue to Coney Island-Stillwell
Avenue, making just three stops at Eighth Avenue,
Bay Parkway and Coney.
For southbound service to Fort Hamilton Parkway,
New Utrecht Avenue, 18th Avenue, 20th Avenue, Kings
Highway, Avenue U and 86th Street, commuters can
transfer to northbound trains at either of the three operating
stations or use nearby stations on the D and F lines.
WATER BILL CREDIT COMING
TO SENIORS, LOW-INCOME
HOMEOWNERS
Nearly 17,000 Brooklynites will receive an automatic
$115 credit on their water and sewer bill.
Furthermore, the New York City Water Board has
authorized the extension of the credit to approximately
12,000 more senior citizens in Fiscal Year ’18. The
board has also approved a new $250 per residential
unit credit, to begin next year, for multi-family buildings
that meet certain affordability, conservation and
performance criteria.
This new credit will provide a total of $10 million of
assistance to properties citywide, and serve as many
as 40,000 units.
CONEY MAN, INDICTED IN
DEATH OF 16-MONTH-OLD
DAUGHTER
A 19-year-old Coney Island man was indicted on murder
and assault charges on Monday, July 17, following
the death of his infant daughter Nylah in June.
The 10-count indictment charged Shaquan Taylor
with second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter,
among other charges.
According to the investigation, Taylor took custody
of the young girl on June 16. Two days later, he asked
the toddler’s 17-year-old mother to pick her up from
his home.
When she arrived, the mother found the child unresponsive.
Furthermore, Taylor allegedly assaulted the
mother, who had an order of protection against him.
Nylah was on life support until June 23, when she
died from her injuries.
Taylor claims the infant fell from her bed, though
officials have declared her injuries inconsistent with
such a fall.
Taylor faces up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted
of the top count.
—Meaghan McGoldrick
Photo: NYC Parks/Daniel Avila
Children enjoying the renovated playground.
Benson Playground
gets a facelift
BY DYLAN CAMPBELL
EDITORIAL@BROOKLYNREPORTER.COM
After years of playing on cracked and
graying blacktop, dozens of children
eagerly waited to have their sneakers hit
the newly renovated multi-use asphalt of Benson
Playground after the July 13 ribbon cutting
hosted by New York City Parks Commissioner
Mitchell Silver and City Councilmember Vincent
Gentile.
“Our students depend on this park,” said Javier
Muniz, principal of P.S. 200. “We come here everyday
for lunch/recess. We have three different
rotations of 400 students coming out at different
times and we dismiss from this space. So it provides
us not only an opportunity for our children
to be able to release their energy and have a good
time during recess but also a safe space where
we can dismiss and receive our children every
single day. This is going to be something that we
use and need for years to come.”
The $1.5 million project, made possible by
funding allocated by Gentile, began with a
meeting with community members three years
ago about the needs for the space. Construction
took just under a year and was completed three
months ahead of schedule, according to Parks
Spokesperson Maeri Ferguson. It had been over
a decade since the 2001 renovation to the space,
and the asphalt area, worn from the thousands
of students who walk and play on it daily, was
filled with holes.
The worn-out and patched grey black asphalt
has been reconstructed with a brand new color
seal coat that has changed the asphalt into a
multi-purpose area for field sports like soccer,
track and street games. The renovation also
included repaving of the basketball and handball
courts and installation of new backboards,
hoops, nets and a water fountain. A green space
with planters and trees adjacent to the school
and new plantings around the park were also
added.
Despite the high temperature, P.S. 200 students
and YMCA campers broke in the new
play area with Parks’ staff, playing soccer and
basketball.
The playground is jointly operated with P.S.
200 and is open to the public, except during
school hours.
“It has every sport that I like. I think this one is
a lot nicer,” said Andrea Vasquez, a student who
recently graduated from the P.S. 200.