Resident parking permits issued for surfing contest

Take the train! That’s the message city officials are emphasizing for visitors traveling to Long Beach for the Quiksilver Pro New York competition and festival Sept. 1-15, especially since parking near the site will be available mainly to residents who live in the area south of Park Avenue, between Magnolia and Monroe boulevards.

Motorists are being directed to Jones Beach West End Parking Field #2, where shuttle buses will transport spectators to and from the event daily, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends, and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays.

With many Long Beach residents expressing concerns about parking, traffic, crowds and safety during the event, city officials said that they are working closely with the event organizers and county and state agencies to minimize the impact on residents. “We’re trying to be as proactive as possible,” City Manager Charles Theofan said. “We need to be considerate of all residents. If you live in Valley Stream or Lynbrook, take the train. Obviously you’ll have quite a few cars coming into town and there will be some inconvenience.”

Last week, city officials said that residents may use temporary parking tags and annual parking permits to park in the Magnolia-Park-Monroe area. There will be some non-resident parking restrictions along Walnut, Olive and Beech streets — one side of the street will be reserved for residents — while Penn Street and Broadway will be strictly resident-only. Alternate-side-of-the-street parking is suspended during the event. City officials said that handicapped parking areas will be established prior to the event and published on the city’s website.

Theofan said that the Long Island Rail Road is “doubling” its service for the event over the Labor Day weekend in the mornings and evenings. To encourage visitors to take the train, the LIRR is offering discounted packages that include beach passes with discounts on beach admission and Quiksilver merchandise.

Alcohol will not be served at the festival site, and the live site hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends and Labor Day, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the week.