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Local Opinion Not Enough on Fort Tilden Rehab, Parks Service Says

By Katie Honan | March 18, 2015 4:40pm
 Fort Tilden, seen here in 2012, was badly damaged during Hurricane Sandy.
Fort Tilden, seen here in 2012, was badly damaged during Hurricane Sandy.
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DNAinfo/Katie Honan

ROXBURY — The government has been looking for input on rehabbing popular hipster summer hangout Fort Tilden, but hearing from locals isn't enough, so it wants feedback from summer visitors as well.

The National Parks Service is only in the initial stages of the process of changing access points and replenishing the beach inside the Gateway National Recreation Area, which was badly damaged during Hurricane Sandy, officials said.

The NPS sought public input before construction begins, but have only heard from area residents and local fishermen, according to a Parks spokeswoman, Daphne Yun.

Yun said she hopes to get the input of other groups that use the beach like day visitors from around the city who tend to flock during the summer months.

"We need all of our users to provide their input about Fort Tilden, so that we can know what will make this part of Gateway be relevant and meaningful for both our current visitors and future generations," she said. 

Among the questions are: "What do you value about your experience at Fort Tilden Beach?"

The survey also asks beachgoers how they used the area and if the storm damage has changed that.

The comment period closes on March 20, after opening in February, Parks officials said.

The shore was so damaged by Hurricane Sandy that the beach remained closed until the 2014 season, and the project will help replenish the beach, repair access roads and establish measures to minimize damage in future storms.

Government officials plan to take public opinion into account as they move forward in the process, officials said.

"An important goal for Gateway is to engage with and attract a wide range of users, and be relevant to all of the people who live in the New York City area," she said.

Comments about the plan can be made on Gateway's website.