Wednesday, July 18, 2007

New Coney Blog Laments Coney's Death

The new Last Year At Coney Island blog, which started on this year's Mermaid Parade, utilizes photos and essays to lament what it feels is the passing of Coney Island. Its blogger, Neil J Murphy, who runs a number of blogs, is a professional photographer who was once a printer. As his blog states: Between 1996 and 2004, his twenty year career in printing and prepress shops was brought to an end, and his eighteen years in the darkroom as a photographer were brought to a new beginning by the digital age...


Though many of Coney Island's major events and fixtures, except for Astroland, are here to stay. Coney as we know it will be drastically changed. Either it will undergo a major face lift or go through a period of gloomy blight awaiting for its promised rejuvenation. Neil J. Murphy takes a closer look into this impending transformation for Coney. As he implies, the Coney we all know will be gone forever. And even though the Mermaid Parade will still march on next year, it will probably be surrounded by construction - giving it a lesser jubilant tone.

Murphy takes us on an interesting and personal account with his blog leaving any Coney lover and enthusiast with a great feeling.

Murphy writes:

Does she look nervous? She should. She's looking over one of the many plywood fences that have been propped up around her neighborhood in recent weeks. For the time being she can be found along the boardwalk near Stillwell Avenue and 15 Street, but those fences are surrounding a lot that the city redevelopment plan has its eyes on, and the building she's on may not be around very long. She has a right to be wary....


She keeps her vigil for now. Although chances are she'll soon be watching a preview of the fate to eventually befall her before long.
photo by Neil J. Murphy



No comments: