Report From RIOC President Leslie Torres - Roosevelt Island Tram, Red Bus, Motorgate and Good Chapel Plaza Renovation Updates, Southpoint Park Grand Opening August 3, Movies In The Park and Happy Summer

You Tube Video of RIOC President's Message to June Board Meeting

Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) President Lesie Torres sends the following report to Roosevelt Island residents.

As this is the last column for the summer, I wanted to wish all of you a fun and safe summer. Roosevelt Island is a great place to spend time outdoors, and I hope you all get to enjoy our parks, green spaces, barbecues, and events (see more information below).

Transportation Update

Roosevelt Island was originally envisioned as a car-free Island. But, it’s hard to anticipate how things will develop, and so we are constantly evolving and assessing the services we provide. As we plan for the future, we are focused on maintaining a clean, green environment, with energy efficient public and private transportation.

We recently held a community meeting to update residents on all Island transportation issues. Here are a few highlights from that meeting. For more information, please look for the Roosevelt Island News, a newsletter that will be out in a few weeks. We’ll make the newsletter available on our website, through Facebook, email it via our email system, and leave copies in key spots throughout the Island.

Tram Updates

After a 34-year run, we retired our old tram and replaced it with a modern, state of the art tram that will transport over two million riders this year.

The new tram has eight backup systems, offers a smoother ride, and is significantly more reliable. However, as with all new major transportation projects, we have come across some issues that needed to be resolved.

Recently, we made upgrades that have resulted in a smoother ride. The sway over the towers has been greatly minimized.

We are aware of ongoing problems with the Metrocard vending machine and have been working with the MTA to resolve these issues.

Due to increased tourism on the weekends, we will be running both tram cabins from noon until 7p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

Red Bus and Motorgate Updates

You may have noticed that there are now benches at the bus stops. Next we’ll be giving Motorgate an upgrade. If you are interested in more information, check out our upcoming newsletter, Roosevelt Island News.

Good Shepherd Chapel Update

Due to ongoing delays in the contracting process, work on the Chapel plaza has been delayed. The good news is that we finally have clearance to move forward. The work will commence in July. The contractor has 90 days to complete the work. Unfortunately this means the plaza will be closed for much of the summer. We apologize for any inconvenience, and hope you will find the upgrades worth the wait.

South Point Park Opening

On August 3rd, we will host an official ribbon cutting ceremony for South Point Park and open it up to the Public. Please check our website, www.rioc.ny.gov, later this month for more information.

Movies in the Park

Bring a blanket, family and friends, and join us for family movies under the stars. The fun starts at 8pm on Firefighters Field. Food and drink will be available for purchase.

The Goonies 7/9/11 (Rain Date: 7/17/11)
Star Trek 7/23/11 - (Rain Date: 7/31/11)
Up 8/6/11 (Rain Date: 8/14/11)
Tron 8/20/11 (Rain Date: 8/28/11)
The Incredibles 9/3/11 (Rain Date: 9/4/11)

A version of the RIOC President's column also appears on RIOC's web site and the July 2, 2011 Main Street WIRE.