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Volume XX • Number 35 • August 22 - 28, 2013 •
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Yet another massage parlor surfaces here By PAULETTE SCHNEIDER The owner of JC Barber Spa needs to do some more market research if he thinks his business will succeed in Kingsbridge as long as the “spa” part involves “exotic massages.” The shop, a storefront in a small three-story aluminum-sided building at 3336 Fort Independence Street, places online ads on adult websites that would not ordinarily come up as hits for those seeking a haircut—or even a conventional massage—in the neighborhood. Spa services listed on the JC Barber Spa website include the usual Swedish, deep tissue, shiatsu and reflexology. The only clue that the shop may offer more than meets the eye is a single line about the service of “2 girls, 4 hands.” But classified ads on backpage.com offer “the best-looking Latin women in the tri-state area” and show photos of women wearing not clinical uniforms but lingerie. So the business may be reaching out to a particular clientele not exactly drawn from the local community. “It’s pretty clear to me what’s going on there, and that’s not
what we want in our neighborhood,” Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz said. The Spa has instantly become a campaign issue in the race for City Council as it gives credence to concerns that Riverdale and environs has become an area targeted by sex-oriented “adult” businesses, a concern since it was learned that one of the nation’s most promininent strip club owners is the largest financial backer of Clifford Stanton’s controversial campaign for the City Council seat being vacted by the term limited Oliver Koppell. “There were advertisements brought to my attention on a website for that location, and it’s very clear what those advertisements were for. That being the case, the strongest possible action needs to be taken,” he said. “These types of establishments, I believe, are a direct threat to our quality of life, and we don’t want establishments like that anywhere where there are children around.” Dinowitz pointed out that the location is in a “family neighborhood,” across from the 344-unit Fort Independence Houses and down the block from
This internet ad directs thrill-seekers to a local barbershop where exotic massages are offered to patrons by scantily-clad women massage ‘therapists.’ the 171-unit Cannon Heights Apartments. “Their advertising suggests that they’re looking for customers well beyond the immediate community,” he said. “We’ve had these things before—recently we had the issue of these contributions to (Clifford) Stanton and the strip clubs,” he
added, referring to a billboard near Yankee Stadium advertising a “gentlemen’s club” owned by a major contributor to the political campaign of City Council Democratic primary hopeful Clifford Stanton. JC Barber Spa manager Tony Corona told a Daily News reporter on the phone that he was not
doing anything illegal. “We don’t do that here,” he reportedly said, justifying the online ads with the observation, “If you don’t advertise, you’re not going to get customers.” Two other local “spas” were recently shut down, one on Riverdale Avenue and one near Broadway.
Plaque commemorates amusement park where Co-op City is today By HAYDEE CAMACHO Bronx residents of a certain age remember Freedomland fondly, while younger people are often surprised to learn that there was an amusement park in the Bronx on the site of Co-op City. On Saturday, August 17th, a commemorative ceremony was held on Bartow Avenue where fans and employees of the park warmly reminisced and viewed the unveiling of a memorial plaque. Freedomland amusement park was the largest theme park of its day in the early 1960s. The park had over 60
rides and attractions and was designed in the shape of the United States. There were seven sections with rides themed to the era : Little Old New York (circa 1850-1900), Old Chicago (1871), The Great Plains (1803-1900), San Francisco (1906), The Old Southwest (1890), New Orleans: Mardi Gras and Satellite City: The Future. The park opened in 1960. Competition from the World’s Fair in 1964, held in Flushing Meadow Park, resulted in dwindling attendance and the park filed for bankruptcy in September, 1964. Congressman Elliot Engel recalled that the entrance fee to
Congressman Eliot Engel (r) and other local residents reminisce about Freedomland, the massive amusement park that was located where Co-op City is today. A plaque to commemorate the attraction was unveiled last week.
the park gave his family sticker shock. “The admission fee was $3.95.” he said. “We thought that’s a lot of money to go to an amusement park but it was unique because you could stay in the park as long as you wanted and go on multiple rides. I was a student at Evander Childs High School. It was great. “ He also recalled his experience as one of the first residents years later in Co-op City. ”If you fast- forward 7 years later, in 1971 my family was one of the original “co-operators”. We moved into 30 B in Section 5. I remember when you stood by 30 B which was the Hutchinson Parkway East, you could see the go carts and the tracks.” In 1967 Engel was in college and travelled across country with friends to visit Disneyland. “Freedomland was better,” he told them. “When I heard we were having the commemoration today I just felt boy I’ve got to be here. Freedomland, Coop City and this part of the northeast Bronx really mean so much to me not only to represent it but personally in my life,” he added. For former New York Assemblyman Ronald Tocci, Freedomland epitomized the values the United States stood for. “It’s important to understand that Freedomland was inspired by the United States of America—by freedom itself and those special people who helped create this country and gave us the freedoms we enjoy this day,” he said. Ben Rossi started working at the park as a trick horse rider in the cowboy-themed shows when he was 21 and eventually became the park’s marshal. He later performed at other amusement parks including Disneyland. Continued on Page 12