Governors Island Will Open This Summer!

Governors Island was on the verge of exhausting its operating budget, but the state has finally come through with an eleventh-hour funding boost. There was some doubt over whether the island, which has become a wildly popular recreation destination in recent years, would be able to open this summer, because Governor Paterson initially included zero dollars for it in his budget. But the new state budget deal would allocate $7 million for the former military base, and the city confirmed yesterday it would match that amount. So the new Water Taxi Beach looks like a go for this season, as well as the Figment art festival and bike riding and old-timey jazz bands and rainbows and unlimited Turkish Delight for everyone! (It all starts May 30th.) Mayor Bloomberg has been trying to arrange a deal that would end state involvement in Governors Island and Brooklyn Bridge Park. A spokesperson for the Empire State Development Corp tells the Post those negotiations are ongoing.