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Should Coney Island Boardwalk Be Replaced With Concrete After Sandy?

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A thick layer of sand still covers much of the boardwalk at Coney Island, but it is what lies beneath that was sparking the debate nearly five weeks after Superstorm Sandy.

As 1010 WINS' Eileen Lehpamer reported, the question is whether the boardwalks should be rebuilt as concrete or wood.

1010 WINS' Eileen Lehpamer reports

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Mayor Michael Bloomberg was quoted in a Rockaway newspaper as saying there will be no more wooden boardwalks in the Rockaways or anywhere else.

But Nina, out for a walk in Coney Island, said that sentiment is ridiculous – you cannot have concrete and call it a "boardwalk."

"It's like a sidewalk," she said. "It's not a boardwalk."

But Roman, out for his morning jog, said good riddance to the wood. He said it is slippery and is just an excuse for people to sue the city.

"I fell every day because nails come out," he said.

The Coney Island boardwalk – formally known as the Riegelmann Boardwalk – was constructed in 1923.

Once a site for numerous legendary – if seedy – amusement parks – the boardwalk remains the site of the Cyclone roller coaster and the Wonder Wheel, among other rides. It also hosts an assortment of concession stands and the New York Aquarium.

A restoration project that began in 2010 called for replacing a five-block section with concrete. In July, more than four months before Sandy struck, some Boardwalk advocates filed a lawsuit to stop the replacement.

Do you think the boardwalk should be replaced with concrete? Leave your comments below...

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