BTR letters & comments
Inconvenient
track work
Dear editor,
This weekend and Monday
the Transit Authority
looked into very carefully,
starting with any connections
to land developers and/
or landlords who might benefi
t from seeing these excellent
local establishments go out of
business.
Alexander A. Priest
LET US HEAR FROM YOU
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, N BTR OVEMBER 8-14, 2019 13
again unnecessarily inconvenienced
the riders who use the
Pelham Parkway/Esplanade
station on the IRT #5 line.
The station now has four
tracks, two each on the downtown
and uptown platforms.
This, theoretically, allows for
uptown and downtown trains
on each platform when one
platform or track cannot be
used. This weekend and Monday
the NYCTA failed to use
that second track, and inconvenienced
the riders again.
The downtown platform of
the # 5 at the Pelham Parkway
station was closed for rehabilitation
this weekend. However,
the Transit Authority failed to
use the second track on the
uptown platform for the downtown
trains. It made riders go
to Dyre Avenue and come back
instead of having the downtown
train stop on the second
track of the uptown platform.
This morning, the downtown
trains had to run on the
middle track on the downtown
side. However, the notifi
cation from the NYCTA was
that riders should take the uptown
train to Dyre Avenue, as
downtown trains would skip
all stops between Dyre Avenue
and East 180th Street.
There is no reason why
that second track on the uptown
and downtown platforms
could not have been used for
the downtown trains. The
Transit Authority has run
downtown trains on that track
before. They just skip the Pelham
Parkway station. Why
not have the trains just stop
there, even if they can’t do the
same at the Morris Park, Gun
Hill Road or Baychester stations?
Kenneth S. Gelnick
Fantasy
world
Dear editor,
An effective leader values
all of his constituents and
works to build consensus, supports
his nation’s allies, values
the fi ndings of his intelligence
operatives over the word of
dictators and places the nation’s
interests above his own
business interests. He is also
scrupulously honest, refrains
from demonizing his opponents
and displays empathy
for those less fortunate. An effective
leader believes in the
value of science and the value
of diplomacy. Do any of these
attributes apply to our current
President?
It is amazing to read a contributor’s
letter praising the
present occupant of the White
House for keeping his promises.
Yes, the ultra rich got
their tax cut, but what other
‘accomplishment’ can be attributed
to this man? Our allies
no longer trust us, Russia
is expanding its’ territory and
infl uence, China is increasing
its’ prestige in our backyard
(South America), our elections
are subject to outside interference,
while the country
is rudderless with no cohesive
foreign policy, dealing with an
unprecedented series of scandals
emanating from Washington
D.C.. How can anyone
possibly believe that this situation
is praiseworthy?
Pasqual Pelosi
Morris Park
Ave. is a mess
Dear editor
After two weeks of attempting
to deal with the ‘road diet’
mess recently created on Morris
Park Avenue, I have decided
that I need to fi nd a new:
barber, fl orist, jeweler, deli,
hardware store, bakery, dry
cleaner and pizzeria.
I strongly suggest that the
ulterior motives of those advocating
for this disaster be
Everyone once
paid their fare
Dear editor,
Riding the old 1904 subway
cars between Times Square
and 96th Street was a great
way to celebrate the 115th Anniversary
NYC Subway System.
On October 27, 1904, the
Interborough Rapid Transit
company opened the fi rst subway
line. It ran nine miles
from City Hall uptown on the
eastside accross 42nd Street
(today’s 42nd Street Shuttle) to
Times Square and proceeded
uptown to 145th Street and
included 28 stations. Over
150,000 riders payed a fi ve cent
fare.
It was a generation of people
who respected authority
and law. Previous generations
of riders did not litter subway
stations, trains, trolleys or
buses, by leaving behind gum,
candy wrappers, paper cups,
bottles and newspapers. No
one would openly eat pizza,
chicken or other messy foods
while riding the subway, trolley
or bus. Everyone paid
their way and there was no
fare evasion.
Larry Penner
Letters to the editor are welcome from all
readers.
They should be addressed care of this
newspaper to Laura Guerriero, Publisher,
the Bronx Times Reporter, 3604 E. Tremont
Ave., Bronx, NY 10465, or e-mail to bronxtimes@
cnglocal.com.
All letters, including those submitted via
e-mail, MUST be signed and with a verifi
able address and telephone number included.
Note that the address and telephone
number will NOT be published and the
name will be published or withheld upon
request.
No unsigned letters can be accepted for
publication.
The editor reserves the right to edit all
submissions.
Bronx Zoo Holiday
Lights Return in ‘19
Lanterns are samples depicting the 2019 Bronx Zoo Holiday Lights.
Photo courtesy of the Bronx Zoo
As one of New York City’s
greatest holiday traditions
and for the fi rst time since
2007, the Bronx Zoo Holiday
Lights will return in 2019 during
the most festive time of the
year with dazzling light displays
that will cover and sparkle
acres of the zoo. Visitors
will be able to walk-through
the zoo to experience wildlifethemed
LED displays, custom
Asian lanterns, animated
light shows on the historic Astor
Court and more.
Visitors can celebrate the
holiday season with an enchanting
adventure to warm
up the entire family. Festivities
will include:
• The Ice Jubilee at the
Bronx Zoo Includes an Ice Bar,
Ice Throne & Ice Slide (December
21 to 31) – Holiday revelers
will be able to take festive
photo ops on the ice throne,
where ice kings and queens
can take their seat on an oversized
throne made completely
of ice, as well as breaking out
your inner penguin and slide
down a 20-foot ice slide. Visitors
can also grab a specialty
cocktail at the zoo’s 12-foot ice
bar which will be available
for purchase during Holiday
Lights operating hours.
• Nightly Ice Carving
Demonstrations (ongoing) –
Throughout Holiday Lights
from 5 to 9 p.m., professional
ice carvers will debut their
talents as they use chainsaws
and chisels to carve holiday
and animal-themed sculptures
with a live audience. All
fi nished sculptures will be on
display throughout the Dancing
Crane Plaza.
• Ice Carving Competition
(December 28) – On Saturday,
December 28 from 6 to 9 p.m.,
the zoo will take ice carving to
the next level when fi ve professional
ice sculptures will create
20 sculptures in an elimination
style ‘speed carving’
format over a three-hour period.
This format is ideal for
spectators to witness carvings
formed in less than 30 minutes
before their eyes. The competition
will be emceed by an
experienced carver to entertain
the crowd and provide
fun facts, as well as facilitating
spectator participation.
Visitors can also get involved
in the carving judging. The
20 new sculptures will be displayed
for future viewing.
• Carolers, Characters,
Train Rides & Lantern Safari
– Visitors will be able
to enjoy classic and modern
holiday tunes sung by Victorian
dressed live carolers
throughout the zoo, as well as
taking photos with some of the
zoo’s seasonal characters including
lions, giraffes, gorillas,
penguins and a friendly snowman.
Families can also take
a journey ‘around the world’
along a dedicated section of the
park that will be illuminated
by hand-created lantern sculptures,
while also learning
about the work WCS scientists
are doing to help save various
species. Train rides will also
be available for the whole family
at Astor Court.
Bronx Zoo Holiday Lights
is sponsored by Con Edison.
Tickets for the Bronx Zoo
Holiday Lights are priced at
$29.95 for adults, $22.95 for
children, and $28.95 for seniors.
Hours for Holiday Lights
will be 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday to
Thursday, and 5 to 10 p.m. Friday
and Saturday.
Holiday Lights will be
closed on December 24. The
Bronx Zoo and Holiday Lights
will be closed on December 25
and January 1.
For tickets and more information,
visit www.BronxZoo.
com.
/www.BronxZoo
link
link
/cnglocal.com
/www.BronxZoo