The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) announced today their selections and schedule for the 2024 Summer Outdoor Movie Series at Southpoint Park.
Drumroll please… here are the movies that the Roosevelt Island community voted for to watch during the Outdoor Summer Movie Series! The summer movie series will begin in one month, on July 12th. pic.twitter.com/hzTta7a1sN
— Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (@RIOCny) June 12, 2024
During a conversation last February with Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Deputy General Counsel/Interim Leadership Team member Gerrald Ellis and Communications Director Bryant Daniels, I mentioned that about 10 years ago Roosevelt Island had several active public webcams showing livestream views of various spots on the Island. Among the live webcams at the time was one from Rivercross Crossing at 405 Main Street showing the Roosevelt Island Tram station. These webcams have not been active for many years.
I suggested RIOC install a webcam at both the Roosevelt Island and Manhattan Tram stations so that residents can see how long both Tram station lines were at any given time before making a decision to take the Tram or subway.
Today RIOC announced that they installed the Roosevelt Island Tram webcams as can be seen from the screenshot below.
This past week, the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) launched its new Tram Station Livestreams, real-time video feeds of both the Roosevelt Island and Manhattan Tram stations that will allow travelers to check lines and conditions before heading out for their travel. The livestreams can be viewed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on the RIOC website. To navigate to the Livestream from the RIOC homepage, visit RIOC.ny.gov, click the Transportation tab, then Tram, then Roosevelt Island Tram Station Livestreams.
The Roosevelt Island Tram has become both an essential transportation option for island residents and a notable tourist attraction for people from all over the world. In recent years, the Tram has seen a surge in ridership, which during the busier warmer months can lead to extended wait times and longer lines for the Tram, particularly on the Manhattan side. The Tram Station Livestreams are designed to help riders plan their travel by offering real-time insights into Tram station conditions, which in turn can help lead to better planning with off-island travel.
“This was an idea we heard about earlier this year and thought it would be a great way to help Tram riders, particularly those who live on Roosevelt Island, make more informed travel decisions,” said Gerrald Ellis and Dhruvika Patel Amin, RIOC’s Interim Leadership Team. “The Roosevelt Island Tram is the busiest Tram in the entire world according to our operator Leitner-Poma. We take pride in that, but we also understand that its popularity is a double-edged sword for island residents who just want to get home after a long day at work or school. Now with our Tram Station Livestreams, if you check the feed and see that the line at one of the stations looks particularly long, you’ll know that you might want to try utilizing another travel option, like the F-Train, before heading out on your trip.”
RIOC’s Tram Station Livestreams serve as a valuable resource to help alert the public to current Tramway conditions and anticipated travel times. Livestreams are not recorded and do not transmit any accompanying audio. They shall not be used to monitor or surveil individuals or groups. RIOC shall provide for a level of privacy consistent with applicable laws and in accordance with the requirements of using CCTV systems for traffic management and traveler information purposes in the State of New York.
The project to develop the Tram Station Livestreams was spearheaded by the RIOC Information Technologies Department, led by Abdel Boujoual, RIOC’s Director of Information Technology. The page has also been optimized for mobile users, so riders can check the Tram stations on their phones before travel.
Today, I asked Mr Daniels:
Why is there no webcam showing the Manhattan station platform? It only shows the staircase and Tram Plaza which is good, but knowing how crowded the platform is would be a benefit too.
Mr Bryant replied:
The idea was to locate the cameras in a way that can show if the lines are particularly long. The platform will always get crowded from time to time but if you can see a longer line outside on the plaza area, you can probably expect a longer than average commute.
Good job by RIOC and the Interim Leadership Team. Placing a webcam live streaming feed at the Tram stations has been requested for many years under multiple RIOC administrations and never implemented before.
Unfortunately for Roosevelt Island, Mr Ellis announced last week that he will be leaving RIOC at the end of this month.
Saturday, June 8 was a beautiful morning and afternoon to celebrate the annual Roosevelt Island Day at Meditation Lawn and Blackwell Plaza. Fun for residents of all ages with inflatable rides, games, music , food and various community groups and businesses promoting their services. Here are some scenes.
According to the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC):
Dear Roosevelt Island Community:
Please join NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler for a virtual community visioning workshop to discuss the design and construction of a new perimeter hazard mitigation system at its long-term care facility on Monday, June 10th from 6pm to 7pm. This project will address potential flooding vulnerabilities to protect the skilled nursing facility campus from major storm events.
The project team wants your thoughts and ideas for the public space around NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler. Your participation in this workshop will help develop a public space that benefits everyone.
Roosevelt Island resident and iDig2Learn founder Christina Delfico encourages residents to learn more about the proposed Coler Berm project. According to Ms Delfico:
This is a call to TUNE IN MONDAY, JUNE 10th from 6-7 PM via Zoom to learn about a huge proposed island construction of a wall at the northern tip of Roosevelt Island.
REGISTER NOW to TUNE-IN and receive the follow up on the Coler Coastal Resiliency Project Community Input Needed
Planned for Lighthouse Park and surrounding Coler Hospital, please learn more and weigh in.
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU ATTEND THIS MEETING ON MONDAY.
THIS MEETING HAS BEEN HELD YESTERDAY WITH THE COLER RESIDENTS AND STAFF.
THERE ARE MANY QUESTIONS TO BE ASKED ASKED:
WHY DO WE NEED A “500 YEAR FLOOD MITIHGATION PLAN” FOR COLER?
THE FLOODING IN 2012 CAME FROM THE STEAM TUNNEL UP INTO THE BASEEMENT, NOT FROM THE RIVER. A SEAWALL WILL DO NOTHING IF WATER COMES FROM THE STEAM TUNNEL (WHICH IS NOW CLOSED, BUT NOT COMPLETELY SEALED).
FEMA HAS AUTHORIZED $90,000,000 TO BE SPENT ON THE PROJECT, BUT THESE PROJECTS USUALLY HAVE VASTLY
MORE COSTS AND TAKE YEARS TO COMPLETE.
COLER’S ENTIRE INFRASTRUCTURE WAS RELOCATED AFTER 2012 HURRICANE SANDY AND ALL UTILITIES ARE ON THE SECOND LEVEL OR ABOVE. THERE IS NO VITAL INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE BASEMENT, THE ONLY AREA TO FLOOD IN 2012. SOME ADJOINING
PARKING AREAS ALSO FLOODED BUT DID NOT ENTER PATIENT AREAS.
THIS PROJECT WILL TAKE AT LEAST 32 MONTHS OF MASSIVE CONSTRUCTION AND DISRTUPTION. GIANT PILES WOULD HAVE TO BE SUNK INTO THE BEDROCK (10-30 FEET DOWN AROUND THE WALLED IN AREAS). IMAGINE LIVING WITH THIS AROUND YOUR HOME FOR YEARS.
ALL TREES AROUND COLER AND PROBABLY NEARBY WOULD BE REMOVED OR PERMANENTLY DAMAGED.
MOST IMPORTANT:
COLER IS A PERMANENT HOME TO 500 RESIDENTS. MANY COLER RESIDENTS DO NOT GO OUT OF THEIR UNITS OR OFF CAMPUS.
MOST OF THE PLANS INCLUDING MASSIVE BERMS (OR HIGH MOUNDS) WOULD BIOCK ANY VIEW FROM THE MAIN FLOOR.
THE EAST SIDE OF THE BULDING WOULD HAVE A MASSIVE WALL TO BLOCK ALL VIEWS EXCEPT THE PARKING LOT FROM MAIN FLOOR.
PSYCHOLOGICALLY, THIS PLAN WOULD DAMAGE THE RESIDENTS AND STAFF.
IT IS TIME TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD, COME UP WITH A REASONABLE SOLUTION ANTHE PROPOSE TO COLER AND RIOC A REASONABLE SOLUTION, THEN PROPOSE IT TO THE COLER COMMUNITY AND IT REST OF THE ISLAND RESIDENTS,.
THE COLER COMMUNITY AND OURS ARE VERY ACTIVE POLITICALLY AND KNOWLEDGEABLE & WILL MEET ANY CHALLENGE HEAD-ON.
The Main Street Theatre & Dance Alliance has offered music, theatre and dance training along with performance opportunities for all ages for over 35 years in the Roosevelt Island community. Our Mission - MSTDA nourishes creativity by providing high quality music, theatrical and dance training as well as performing opportunities to everyone in our diverse community. We offer every person, child or adult, the opportunity to participate in the arts without discrimination due to race, color, national origin, sex including gender and orientation, cultural background, socio-economic status, age, ability, or disability. With a robust scholarship program no one is turned away for financial reasons.
Magnus's tennis journey began at the age of six, when he was introduced to the world of racquets by none other than his father, a renowned Icelandic table tennis champion. Growing up, he spent countless hours honing his skills on the table tennis court, a passion that naturally transitioned into the world of tennis.
From the outset, Magnus showed promise on the tennis court, quickly surpassing his peers and realizing that this sport could be more than just a pastime—it could be his future. With tennis courts conveniently located just five minutes from his home, he spent his afternoons there, seizing every opportunity to practice and refine his game.
As a fortunate junior player, Magnus had the chance to travel extensively throughout Europe, earning a respectable ranking in the continent's tennis His talent didn't go unnoticed, leading to his representation of Iceland, his country, in the Men's National Davis Cup at the age of 18, a proud moment in his young career.
However, Magnus's journey took a new turn as he transitioned from player to coach. While pursuing his Bachelor of Science degree, a chance encounter with a friend who was a junior director at his local tennis club led him into the world of coaching. What started as a part-time gig soon became a full-time passion as Magnus discovered the joy of guiding young players, shaping not just their tennis skills but also their character and resilience.
Reflecting on his own journey, Magnus realized the profound impact a coach can have on a player's experience, shaping their memories and love for the sport. His coaching tenure in Iceland, alongside some of the best in the field, provided him with invaluable insights and experiences that he carried with him as he ventured to the west coast.
In his new home, Magnus established his own coaching style, working tirelessly with a group of eager young players on two public courts. The program flourished, producing top-ranked players and fostering strong relationships with both players and parents. With the success of his program, Magnus found himself drawn to new challenges, leading him to make the bold move to New York City.
Excited by the prospect of living in one of the world's most vibrant cities, Magnus looks forward to immersing himself in the bustling tennis scene of Roosevelt Island. Armed with his wealth of coaching experience and a passion for teaching, he is eager to make a difference in the lives of children of all ages and levels, continuing his journey in the sport he loves. Magus will take over as the Director of the Advantage Junior Development Program starting this summer!
Extend a warm Roosevelt Island welcome to Magnus and his family as they embark on this exciting new chapter in their lives. Stop by the Roosevelt Island Racquet Club, conveniently nestled beneath the tram, to witness Magnus's skills in action and experience firsthand the passion and dedication he brings to the tennis court.
The annual Roosevelt Island Day celebration is taking place tomorrow, Saturday June 8.
According to the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC):
Dear Roosevelt Island Community:
A reminder that this year's Roosevelt Island Day celebration takes place this Saturday, June 8th from 10AM to 3PM at Meditation Lawn and Blackwell Plaza.
This year's event will feature fun for the entire family, including community tables, carnival games, inflatable rides, food, music, giveaways and more!
... an artist collective of current and former residents of a long-term care facility on Roosevelt Island in NYC. Guided by the Reality Poets’ lived experience and vision, our work focuses on disability justice, community building and gun violence prevention...
According to Open Doors:
Hi OPEN DOORS Family,
Join us Friday June 14th at 3pm EST at Light House Park, Roosevelt Island (900 Main Street) for OPEN DOORS Annual Barbecue! If you've attended before, you know this is how we kick off the summer. OPEN DOORS is going strong, so come join us for a great time! I hope to see all of you who can make it, there will be food and drinks.
Sincerely,
OPEN DOORS
The Open Doors Reality Poets are also hosting a Poetry Workshop in collaboration with the Carter Burden Network Roosevelt Island Older Adult Center.
I'm excited to invite you to the Reality Poets Poetry Workshop, hosted at the Roosevelt Island Older Adult Center on Monday June 10th 4-6pm EST. This will be the first of many Reality Poets Poetry Workshops, and if you've been to recent Freestyle Fridays, you've seen a little of what we'll bring to the table. At this workshop, you will learn about poetry, write and share poetry and hear from others in your community. Furthermore, participants will have the chance to submit writing from this workshop to our upcoming book, Wheeling and Healing 2. If you can't make it in person but still want to participate, you can tune in with this Zoom link.
I look forward to seeing all of you who can make it!
The Roosevelt Island Baseball Little League was awarded a $5 Thousand grant from SNY Play Ball (the television home of the Mets and Jets) during a ceremony last
Saturday June 2 prior to the start of the League's annual All Star Game at
Capobianco Field.
SNY Play Ball presented by Toyota has awarded the Roosevelt Island Baseball
League with a $5,000 grant for the necessary field maintenance equipment to
keep the conditions safe for play, and to provide essential baseball equipment
for their 175+ youth ballplayers....
... Today is a very special day for
Roosevelt Island baseball and the Roosevelt Island Baseball League. In
addition to it being the annual All Star
game, we have a very special presentation
today.
SNY Play Ball is a wonderful
organization. Some of our kids had the opportunity to
attend and participate in an on field clinic at City Field two years ago
through SNY Play Ball and for those
coaches and parents and players who took part in that, it was a very, very special
opportunity.
Two years later, our league was
nominated as an outstanding baseball
league in the City. Every season, SNY Play Ball chooses one
baseball league in New York to recognize
with a very very generous grant to help towards operations and
equipment and it's very, very needed
and appreciated. It was an honor
to be nominated and it's even more of an
honor to be selected as the 2024
recipient...
... Every
year before the All Star game, I always
feel the same emotions. That's pride
in seeing our players. Seeing our Majors
All Stars, the leaders of the baseball community. I used to remember when they
were Minors players. Now I remember when a lot of our
Majors Allstar were T-ball players which
makes me feel old but it also really
makes me feel proud and that's exactly
the way it should be.
The older players
showing the younger players how to be
baseball players but much more important
how to be
teammates and for coaches and parents
seeing these kids grow up and seeing
them as T-ball players or as Minors
players and then seeing them grow into
the people they're becoming and the
people they will become and knowing that
our baseball league played a small part
in that is the most rewarding thing of
all to me....
... this
honor for our league is because of all
of you. It is because of the players, the
coaches and the families who make up
this league and your dedication and your
passion to what we do here that makes
this a special place...
Watch the full remarks of Roosevelt Island Baseball Little League Commissioner Arya Shirazi.
The Roosevelt Island Baseball Little League completed a 9 game 2024 schedule. The playoffs are scheduled for Saturday June 8, Championship and Coaches Games Saturday June 15 and All Girls Rule Saturday June 22 at Capobianco Field.
Roosevelt Island is a mixed income, racially diverse waterfront community situated in the East River of New York City between Manhattan and Queens and is jurisdictionally part of Manhattan. The Roosevelt Island Tramway, which connects Roosevelt Island to the rest of Manhattan, has become the iconic symbol of Roosevelt Island to its residents.
The Purpose of this Blog is to provide accurate and timely information about Roosevelt Island as well as a forum for residents to express opinions and engage in a dialogue to improve our community.
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