Photos: govisland.com
Mayor de Blasio announced in the past week that Governors Island will be staying open year-round, beginning this fall. NYC Ferry will be adding service via the South Brooklyn route, meaning Lower East Side residents will be able to travel to Governors Island via the Corlears Hook landing.
City leaders had always dreamed of the island becoming a 12-month-a-year recreational and cultural destination. But until now, it was only accessible May through October.
Local elected officials praised the move. U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez said, “I am… thrilled that regular weekday ferry service will be provided through a NYC Ferry route from Lower East Side Corlears Hook and three key Brooklyn locations, DUMBO/Fulton Ferry, Pier 6/Atlantic Avenue and Red Hook/Atlantic Basin to allow more Lower East Siders and Brooklynites than ever quick access to all that Governors Island has to offer and more open space recreational options.”
At the same time, the move serves the city’s long-term development interests on Governors Island. As the mayor’s office noted, there are plans to create a Center for Climate Solutions on Governors Island, as well as to attract, “an anchor university and research institution through a Request for Expressions of Interest.” Having regular transportation to the island will, of course, be necessary to accommodate this vision.
The new ferry service will supplement daily ferries run by the Trust for Governors Island from Lower Manhattan. NYC Ferry has not yet announced a schedule or launch date.
