Big crowds expected at Coney Island job fair Tuesday

There is still snow on the ground left over from Sunday’s winter storm, but in Coney Island, thoughts are already focused on summer.

New York City’s favorite summertime playground will be brimming with millions of fun-seeking visitors in June, July and August, and workers will be needed to help run amusement area rides and serve meals to diners in local restaurants.

The Alliance for Coney Island, the non-profit organization that promotes the neighborhood, estimates that 600 seasonal jobs will need to be filled in Coney Island this year.

The alliance is teaming up with the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and Councilmember Mark Treyger to sponsor its Ninth Annual Summer Jobs Recruitment Fair to help local businesses find workers and to assist residents in finding seasonal jobs.

The job fair will take place on Tues., March 5, at MCU Park Gallery, 1904 Surf Ave., from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Positions are available at several local businesses and amusement area spots, including Applebee’s Grill & Bar, Aramark, Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusement Park, Live Nation, Luna Park and the Coney Island YMCA, according to the alliance. The jobs range from ride and game operators to line and prep cooks, food servers, cashiers and camp counselors.

Treyger, a Democrat who represents Coney Island, Gravesend and parts of Bensonhurst, is encouraging Coney Island residents to attend the job fair and get jobs in their own backyard.

“As we began preparing for another thrilling Coney Island summer season, I’m proud to partner with the Alliance for Coney Island and NYCEDC on our Ninth Annual Summer Jobs Recruitment Fair, ensuring that local residents again have access to employment opportunities available in their own community,” he told this newspaper.

Most of the jobs require candidates to be at least 18 years old and have a high school diploma or an equivalency diploma. But there are also a select few positions for applicants who are 16 years old.

The alliance is encouraging job seekers to dress in business casual attire and to bring a copy of their resume and photo ID to the job fair.

Candidates who want to be fast-tracked through the registration process can register online at: bit.ly/coneyislandjobs2019.

The alliance had originally scheduled a job fair on Monday, March 4. The event was canceled due to the winter storm that hit New York on Sunday.

“Due to factors beyond our control, we have no choice but to postpone the event until Tuesday. Our first concern is always safety and if travel conditions are dangerous, we do not want to put anyone in harm’s way,” said Cindy Godla, the alliance’s events, marketing and public relations manager.

In addition to the annual job fair, the alliance sponsors 33 events a year, including a July 4 fireworks show, Friday night fireworks in the summer, a music festival, a children’s Halloween Parade and a New Year’s Eve extravaganza.

For the first time this year, the alliance organized a Weekend Walks event on Mermaid Avenue, the main commercial thoroughfare in Coney Island. Weekend Walks is a city-wide program sponsored by the Department of Transportation (DOT) in which cars are banned and pedestrian plazas are created on commercial streets for a day.