Report From RIOC President Leslie Torres - Rats At Manhattan Tram Station Entrance, New Roosevelt Island Way Finding Signage, Summer Outdoor Movies And Groundskeepers Visit Central Park To Learn New Strategies

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

Greetings Roosevelt Islanders! I hope you enjoyed all of the Roosevelt Island Day fun last weekend. Thankfully the morning clouds dissipated and we enjoyed a gorgeous afternoon and evening. I would like to thank everyone who participated – residents, visitors and elected officials, including Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, Councilmember Jessica Lappin, State Senator José M. Serrano, and Assembly Member Micah Kellner. I would also like to thank Urban American’s Doryne Isely and the Youth Center’s Charlie Defino who partnered with RIOC on funding and organizing the event. Lastly, special thanks go to the terrific RIOC staff members who made the whole day run smoothly.

Rats in Tramway Park

I think we can all agree that the rat problem at Tramway Park on the Manhattan side of the Tram needs immediate attention. To be clear, Tramway Park is the property of the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation. RIOC has no jurisdiction beyond working with the agency, which we are doing. Specifically, we have offered to help with extermination and we are exploring how we can supplement their other efforts to address the problem. For example, the Parks Department power-washes the Tram plaza once a week, which doesn’t seem to be enough to deter the rats. As a result, we are hiring a contractor who will provide additional power-washing services so that the plaza will be cleaner. The rat problem is clearly exacerbated by people feeding pigeons, which is illegal, so we are encouraging the Parks Department to increase enforcement in the area. We have also gotten indication that their extermination efforts will be stepped up. We will continue to monitor the situation and explore further action if necessary.

New and Improved Signage

The installation of way-finding signage is a priority for RIOC. We are in discussions with Hudson Related to install a network of informational and directional signage Island-wide. Additionally, we are in the process of redesigning our bus stop signage, which will improve the visibility of Red Bus stops.

Soon we will be offering Island merchants the opportunity to promote their businesses on the Tram monitors. This will also allow riders to see various retail options that are available before arriving on Roosevelt Island.

Summer Outdoor Movie Series

Roosevelt Island’s 2012 Summer Outdoor Movie Series begins on Saturday, June 30 at Southpoint Park with a screening of the 2011 blockbuster Captain America: The First Avenger. This free series will feature family-friendly films on select evenings throughout the summer, including Grease (July 7), Tangled (July 20), The Help (July 21), The Lion King (August 4), and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (August 11). Each movie starts at 8:00 pm, but you can arrive at 7:00 pm for live music, movie-themed trivia, prizes, and other activities. And of course, there will be buttery popcorn, hotdogs and other goodies for sale. Admission is free, so bring a blanket or a chair, sit back, relax and enjoy the show!

Groundskeepers Learn New Strategies

RIOC’s groundskeepers will visit Central Park on June 18 to learn about the landscaping strategies and tactics behind one of the world’s most renowned urban parks. Earlier this year, members of Cornell’s groundskeeping team did a series of ten training sessions with our groundskeepers, aimed at teaching them the latest best practices in landscaping and environmental beautification. It’s all part of our effort to ensure that we’re making Roosevelt Island a gorgeous place to live and visit.