Report From Acting RIOC President Don Lewis - Introduces Himself, Roosevelt Island Tram Ridership Soaring, Fall For Arts, And Run For Congo Women

 Image Of Acting RIOC President Don Lewis From RIOC

Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Acting President Don Lewis sends the following report to Roosevelt Island residents.

As the new Acting CEO and President of RIOC, I want to take this opportunity to reintroduce myself to the Roosevelt Island community. For the past year, I have served as RIOC's Vice President and General Counsel working on matters involving real estate transactions, preservation of affordable housing, labor and employment, Board resolutions, litigation, and have conferred with high level government officials concerning various issues related to the Island.

There is a wealth of excitement on the horizon for the Island, including the new retail shops coming to Main Street, the opening of Four Freedoms Park, and the construction of the Cornell/Technion campus. I look forward to continuing to work cohesively with the RIOC Board, RIOC staff and Island residents to develop and implement innovative strategies that will enhance our wonderful community.

Tram Ridership Continues to Soar

As we enter October, which is historically the busiest month for the Aerial Tramway, it is an opportune time to review current ridership numbers for 2012. Continuing a yearlong trend, the number of riders has soared this summer as compared to the previous summer; a total of 629,854 people rode the tram from June through August, which is a 12 percent increase from the same period a year ago. In addition, year-to-date ridership has increased to over 1.6 million riders from January through August, representing an average of 6,600 riders per day and a 20 percent increase from the same period in 2011.

We recently renovated the passenger waiting areas in both tram stations, and are committed to ensuring that the tram continues to offer an optimal urban transportation experience.

Fall for Arts Festival

RIOC’s annual Fall for Arts Festival has become an Island tradition that residents, as well as visitors, look forward to every year. This year the Festival will take place at Southpoint Park on Saturday, October 6, from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm, rain or shine. The Roosevelt Island Visual Art Association will offer free hands-on arts and crafts workshops for all ages, and we are thrilled that many local artists will be on hand to exhibit their work. Delicious food and drink will be available for purchase and there will be complimentary giveaways, entertainment and more. We look forward to seeing you at the Festival.

Run for Congo Women 5K

The Fifth Annual Run for Congo Women 5K scheduled for Saturday, October 6, will be a terrific opportunity to exercise and enjoy the Roosevelt Island scenery, while supporting a great cause. The course will track the perimeter of the Island and finish at Blackwell Park where food, drinks, gift bags, and music will await the participants. To date, entrants have raised over $33,000 in connection with Women for Women International’s efforts to help Congolese survivors of war and civil strife.

The run is scheduled to begin at the Firefighters’ Field at 9:00 am. If you want to join the hundreds of participants, please visit www.runforcongowomen.org or register on Saturday beginning at 8:30 am.