Mermaid Avenue sidewalks are about to look a lot nicer, according to Council Member Justin Brannan, who announced a new trash clean-up program in partnership with the Alliance for Coney Island.
Beginning March 25, homeless empowerment organization The Association of Community Employment Programs (ACE) will work to tidy up Mermaid Avenue from Stillwell Avenue to West 33rd Street seven days a week.
Brannan, who has worked with ACE to spruce up parts of his former Bay Ridge district, said he is bringing the crew to Coney as a part of his ongoing “war on trash.”
“Like I always say, a clean neighborhood is a safe neighborhood, and a safe neighborhood is the foundation for everything else,” Brannan told Brooklyn Paper in a statement. “If your government can’t even keep the streets clean, why would anybody trust them to take on bigger issues? Coney Island residents deserve a clean neighborhood and I’m excited to once again partner with ACE to bring the war on trash to Coney Island.”
All the efforts are about improving the quality of life for Coney Island which Daniel Murphy, executive director of the Alliance, said is directly affected by the state of the streets.
“Residential Coney Island deserves commercial corridors that are clean and attractive and that its retail businesses and customers can be proud of,” Murphy said. “This program will not only positively impact the sidewalks along Mermaid Avenue, but it will demonstrate the benefit of programs that focus on empowering local communities to take back their streets from grime and crime and improve quality of life on a block-by-block basis.”
Brannan — an “avowed anti-trash crusader” — was recently elected to serve the People’s Playground, and promised that this is the first of many changes residents can expect
“The people of Coney Island are tired of being told to be happy with some crumbs. Coney Island deserves the full loaf of bread and then some,” Brannan said. “The hardworking residents of Coney Island should expect the same city services that other neighborhoods in Brooklyn receive and as long as I am here, I’m going to make sure that is the reality.”
Since 1992, ACE has worked alongside New Yorkers with histories of homelessness, incarceration, and addiction to provide job training, work experience and other networking and mentorship programs.
