Rockaway Boardwalk fully reopens

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NEWS) - In between rain storms at Rockaway Beach in Queens, families came to do something they haven't been able to do in a long while: take a walk, take a ride and maybe take a few pictures on the boardwalk.

Elizabeth Gatto and her daughter Ella lost everything during Superstorm Sandy. So having this 5.5-mile piece of the shore back means getting back some piece of mind, too.

While the new boardwalk might not have the same iconic look as its predecessor, engineers say it's stronger and smarter, with a steel reinforced concrete deck and retaining wall.

For those at the shore it's a long time coming. And along this new boardwalk signs of destruction remain. But so do signs of hope and steady recovery. It is just one more reason to celebrate this Independence Day weekend.