Governors Island is only 400 yards from Brooklyn, yet the only way to get there is by ferry from Manhattan. That's not surprising when eleven of the twelve board members of GIPEC, the state development corporation overseeing the island, are from Manhattan.
Community Board 6 voted for a series of resolutions at its December 10 meeting to bring the island closer to Brooklyn administratively. One resolution called for ferry service to the island from Fulton Ferry Landing, Pier 6, and the Atlantic Basin. Another called for half of GIPEC's board to be from Brooklyn.
How can you help? The next time you see your elected officials, tell them you want Brooklyn to have its fair share of representation on the board, i.e., no less than half the seats. Half the board members are appointed by the mayor and half by the governor, but in real life the appointments are made in consultation with local legislators. 400 yards is too close for representation to be so far away.
Forget about other launch points! Pier 6 is the most logical and closest point to the island from Brooklyn's most populous residential neighborhoods - Cobble Hill and Carroll Gardens especially. But of course our elected officials want to turn Pier 6 into a wetlands so the housing inside Brooklyn Bridge Park won't have to contend with people coming near their homes (inside a public park). First, fix the park and make it into the recreational haven long planned - taking out any housing. Then, make Pier 6 a hub for water-based transit (logically connecting to current bus lines and possibly, a return to trolley cars). With so many people in government titled "planners" where is the planning? Or are we still under the misguided Bloomberg doctrine of luxury housing developers trump all land use options?
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