Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Why Governor's Island Gave Me a Sci-fi Vibe

Last Sunday, a free ferry from the southern tip of Manhattan took me to Governor's Island.

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My initial impression was the following...



Years ago, people lived on the island. They formed a close-knit community and constructed homes, fortifications, a hospital, theater, offices and other buildings.

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Then Something Terrible Happened.

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The island was evacuated.

The homes are empty. Some have fallen into disrepair but most are intact. They were abandoned in a hurry.

You wonder: Who (or what) lives in them now?

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Fresh off the first ferry, you venture into Nolan Park. You don't hear human voices, only the rattle of cicadas. Geese are everywhere, toddling among the empty houses.

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Several buildings, including an old hospital, are marked with large letters and numbers that tell you nothing. Most homes and buildings have signs on them - 'do not enter' - like plague houses, and you can't see through the windows, because they're shuttered or the rooms are too dark.

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The theater stands silent and empty, and the church is bare inside.

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Strange institutions have sprung up.

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And alien structures stalk the land.

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You come across portents of evil.

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There's no working television.

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Is civilization lost?

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Will death challenge you to a game of chess?

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Dreading nightfall, you look for allies. You find the home of a benevolent creature who hasn't yet shown itself to you. It lives in a colorful outpost and would welcome you inside if it felt it could trust you.

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If you don't scare it away it will let you in on the secret of how to defeat the murderous legions mobilizing against you.

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Be kind, and you will get off the island alive.

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So what's really the deal with Governor's Island?

Until the 1990s it was a military base/outpost. Now it's open as a park. Most of the island is still undergoing redevelopment, and has in turns the atmosphere of a movie set, a playground, and the site of unethical genetics experiments kept under wraps by the government.

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There are lawns, footpaths, an empty parade ground, old forts and batteries, abandoned buildings, a makeshift miniature golf course, public art installations, some food kiosks and vending machines, hammocks, benches, and geese. Lots of geese. Also a Compost Learning Center. And excellent views of the Verrazano Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, lower Manhattan, Brooklyn, and other parts of the NYC harbor.

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What do people do here? Walk, ride on bikes or quadricycles, picnic, play sports, check out the forts, check out the art, and tend to goats.

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The island is open until the end of September; updates on special events and things to see or do can be found on the Governor's Island blog. I look forward to seeing how the island continues to develop in the future. This first visit was entertaining.