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WEEKLY NEWS 4: New NYC Park

You probably know about the many attractions in New York City, including the Empire State Building, Broadway, Times Square, and the Statue of Liberty. But soon there will be a new place to visit in the Big Apple: a water park!

A family-themed water park is planned to open in summer of 2007 on Randalls Island parkland. New Yorkers and tourists will be able to visit the 26-acre attraction by foot, bicycle, or car. It will be positioned right between the East and Harlem Rivers, and beneath the Trioborough Bridge.

This year-round event will hold a seven-acre indoor beach, wave pools, numerous slides--some of which will be 80 feet above ground--and many other adventures.

A debate has been held over the park’s creation for seven long years. Mayor Rudolph Giuliani first introduced it as a 12-acre attraction in 1999. However, many have opposed the park’s creation.

According to New York citizen and performer Billy Tallen, New Yorkers want to be citizens, not consumers, for whom places like Six Flags are built. People like him prefer classic attractions like the Brooklyn Bridge.

The park will operate under a one-day pass and it will not be attached to a hotel. Its location will also be unique, as most water parks are a far distance from urban, or city, areas.

Randalls Island was purchased from the Native Americans in 1637. It then served as a burial ground and a retirement home for Civil War veterans. In 1933, it was proclaimed a city park. In 1936, President Franklin D. Roosevelt attended the opening ceremony for the area’s stadium. The Olympic trials were held as the first event, and Jesse Owens won the long jump and 100 meter. Numerous award-winning and popular bands have played there, and now the city hopes 1.3 million visitors will come each year to splash in this $168 million attraction.

--Written by Frankie Lumpkin

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