The boardwalk is not the only element of Coney Island and Brighton Beach that is changing this summer. Parks Department officials also have decided to create garbage stations that position trash cans in specific places close to the boardwalk,  as opposed to random places closer to the water as it used to be for years.

For four years Beata Maslinska’s weekly timetable matched the schedule of the closest tanning salon. She had to get tanned at least three times a week, preferably on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays; if it didn’t happen, she was depressed and furious at the same time.

The City Council's amendment to the city law banning amplified sound within 500 feet of a houses of worship or other specified facilities,  brought some unusual guests for the first of nine summer concerts held in Asser Levy Park –- sound engineers hired by both sides of the conflict.

Mayor Bloomberg signed the 90-day suspension of the 500-foot law -- which he and local councilman Lew Fidler urged --  and sent engineers who measured the sound level during the first concert. Bloomberg promised that if the sound of the concert were too loud, the concerts will not be allowed. Officials of the two synagogues and residents who live around the park decided, however, that they needed an independent source and hired their own sound technician.

"The sound level today has been toned down 50 decibels,” said Stephen Diamond who lives close to the park and actively protests against the new amphitheater. “I’ve been to these concerts for years and today is unusually quiet. It’s done because Channels 2, 4, 7, and 12 are all here monitoring the shenanigans of the borough president.”

The members of the synagogues agreed with Diamond on the sound level. During the concert many of them repeated that they are not against the concerts.

“We love the concerts, but not across the street,” said Jeffrey Sanoff, a synagogue member. “There was the 500-foot rule until the City Council made it five- day fast track bill for Marty Markovitz.”

Sanoff said that Thursday’s concert was subdued, because he lives about a quarter of a mile from the park, on Brighton 1st Street and in the past clearly herd the sound coming from the bond shell during the concerts.  He said that compared to the other shows, “today is very quiet.”

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(filed earlier)

After listening to Coney Island residents complaining about the noise coming from the concerts in Asser Levy Park during the public speaking session held at City Hall on July 12, Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed the temporary modification to the sound permit law.

Bloomberg met with legislative and legal staff the next morning following the public hearing session and after the consultation signed Introductory Number 296, which temporarily modified the City’s sound permit law.

"The 500-foot standard currently in the law was adopted before reliable sound measurement technology was established,” Bloomberg in a statement. “We believe focusing on actual sound levels rather then exclusively on distance will better protect the quality of life of all New Yorkers.”

The public-speaking session brought many people living around the park.

Residents of the buildings provided special bus service for their elderly neighbors who, despite the heat, wanted to join the meeting. But, most of the residents couldn’t fit into the Blue Room where the meeting took place.

Registered speakers openly addressed Mayor Bloomberg asking him to understand that the noise from the concerts goes 10 to 12 blocks from the park. Some speakers invited the mayor to their homes so he could hear the music and see the windows shaking.

“I enjoy the concerts myself, in my living room, with two small children,” Alon Karpman said sarcastically.

Rob Burstein said to Bloomberg that during the concert time, in case of an emergency it is almost impossible for him to drive to his mother’s apartment, which is located less than half a mile from his place.

Ida Sanoff appealed to democracy. “We believe in the power of the law to protect the people,” she said. “In addition to screwing up our community for a lack of better words, it [the modification] also violates the sound law in terms of the two synagogues that are just right across the street.”

The public speaking session was not about building the new amphitheater, but many residents saw the connection between signing the 90-day pilot program with the issue of new amphitheater.

Sanoff said that the modification to the sound permit law “is paving the way to build the huge amphitheater that most people in the community opposed.”

Mermaids in various colors, octopuses, sea lions, sailors and excited onlookers all came together to celebrate the beginning of summer at the Mermaid Parade in Coney Island.

Many of the mermaids and other sea creatures covered themselves with chocolate syrup to symbolize the devastation of a part of the Atlantic Ocean not all that far away.

“Gulf coast refugees need clean water,” declared a sign held by one of the “oil”-covered mermaids. “Go drill in your own back yard,” said another.

"Dear BP: We don’t swim in your toilet so don’t dump in our ocean,” said a pink poster carried by a young mermaid. “United against Big Oil,” said another sign.

Wesley “Brkins,”  who is originally from New Orleans but temporarily lives in New York wore an oil-spill costume. “It was great before the oil came,” he said. “It will be worse -- the hurricanes are coming.”

The Mermaid Parade was founded in 1983 by Coney Island USA, the non-profit art group to celebrate the summer as well as Coney Island’s rich history. Since then the parade marches along Surf Avenue and Boardwalk on a Saturday around the first day of summer.

“Lou Reed” was the king and “Laurie Anderson” was the queen of this year’s parade.

"There is nothing like the Mermaid Parade,” said Allyson Barlow, who came to see the parade with her two daughters. “We come when we hear the mermaids’ call.”

"Chris Bunny” has been to the parade for the sixth time. “Every year it gets more elaborate and more strange, and more people come,” he said while introducing a group of friends. “We are a little family who celebrates this holiday that for us is bigger than Christmas or Thanksgiving.”

There was a cake in a shape of a gift box with a frosting bow, candles, champagne, warm wishes and a surprise “Happy Birthday” song.

As the Bloomberg administration and developers trumpeted the re-opening of Luna Park, activists from Save Coney Island organized a second Historic Tour around the neighborhood on Sunday, June 13, telling the history of the buildings that as a result of the rezoning soon might be demolished to make room for high-rise condominiums and hotels.

The iconic boardwalk of Brighton Beach and Coney Island is not a highway, residents want the city Parks Department to know. They do not welcome the city’s plans to replace much of the wood with concrete boards.

Memorial Day weekend brought back a new amusement center with the iconic name, Luna Park, opening on the site of the former Astroland.