What is the importance of Coney Island in the novel, Althea & Oliver?

It is a cold day in November when Althea first sees the iconic Coney Island amusement park. It is the location where she gets a free Bread and Roses meal served by Matilda and Ethan. It is symbolic that the park is shut down and lifeless because that mirrors Althea's feelings and it symbolizes that her life which had been carefree to this point will now be more serious as the cold, harsh truth of reality envelops her.