Report From RIOC President Charlene Indelicato - Roosevelt Island Halloween Parade, Construction Updates, Fall For Arts Festival, Bike NY Classes, FDR Park Hourss & Contacting RIOC

 Image of RIOC President Charlene Indelicato From RIOC

Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) President Charlene Indelicato sends the following report to the community.

With the huge success of the Fall for Arts Festival last weekend, Roosevelt Island is looking forward to its next big event – The annual Halloween Parade on Main Street. As the community and its activities adjust to the changing weather, RIOC is continuing to make improvements to the streets, Motorgate Garage and other parts of the Island in preparation for the upcoming year.

Halloween Parade

Halloween is coming up, and the 2013 Roosevelt Island Halloween Parade is scheduled for Saturday, October 26th, from 12 PM until 3 PM. Sponsored by Urban American with support from RIOC, the annual Parade begins at Blackwell Park and travels down Main Street, culminating in a community celebration at Capobianco Field. In the event of inclement weather, the festivities will be moved to P.S./I.S. 217. Every year, hundreds of Roosevelt Island families come out to watch and take part in this island tradition, showcasing their ghoulish and creative costumes, playing games and enjoying the holiday in a safe and fun way. We hope that you come join in the festivities.

Construction Updates

Commuters should note that the RIOC Red Bus and the Q102 bus stops at 40 River Road have been moved back to their original location due to completion of construction in the area.

Updates to the Motorgate Garage are proceeding according to schedule: The installation of new lighting fixtures and parking surface upgrades in Section 5B has been completed and work has begun on Section 5D. We would like to extend our thanks for your patience and cooperation during this necessary construction. RIOC and Central Parking are also looking into a combination of solutions to address the issue of pigeons nesting inside the Garage.

During the past week, the Helix ramp was inspected between Wednesday, October 2nd and Thursday, October 10th. The structure was examined, core samples were taken and the gathered information is being evaluated in preparation for resurfacing that will take place in 2014. The resurfacing will help prepare the road for the passage of construction vehicles when Cornell begins construction at the southern end of the Island. The crosswalk at the base of the Helix has been re-striped for better visibility, and plans are in place to re-stripe the rest of the crosswalks on Main Street in the coming months.

Repairs recently took place at the dog run near Southtown – gates were repaired and lowered to prevent small dogs from escaping through the gap.

Fall for Arts Festival

Last Saturday’s Fall for Arts Festival was a great success – thousands of parents and kids came out to enjoy the art, music and warm weather together. Activities ranged from pumpkin decorating to henna tattooing, candy sculptures and more! Many thanks go out to the hugely talented artists who painted the murals, including many fantastic local artists and renowned Taiwanese artist Tang-Wei Hsu, a muralist whose work has been exhibited from Taipei to the streets of NYC and who painted on behalf of the Jim Luce Foundation. Even if you were unable to make it out to the celebration, you can take a look at the murals outdoors, which are now visible at Southpoint Park and the lawn south of Rivercross. Photos of the murals and a listing of the artists who participated are available on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/RIOCNY

Bike New York Classes

Bike New York’s class last Saturday was also a big hit – kids had a great time learning to ride safely at the outdoor basketball court located on the east side of the Sportspark facility (250 Main Street). The next Learn to Ride – Kids class takes place tomorrow on Sunday, October 13th from 10:00 AM until noon. Children should bring a bike and a helmet! Bike New York’s classes are a free, fun, safe way to learn to ride a bike before hitting the streets. Sign up for tomorrow’s class online at:
http://www.bikenewyork.org/learn/kids/learn-to-ride-kids/

Schedule Change at FDR Four Freedoms State Park

The daylight hours are getting shorter, and the FDR Four Freedoms State Park is switching over to its winter schedule: The Park will now be open from 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM, Wednesday through Monday. Southpoint Park will remain open from 6:00 AM until 10:00 PM, 7 days a week.

Contacting RIOC

Looking to contact us? RIOC’s Facebook page now offers a contact form for you to submit questions, comments, or concerns. You can also visit our page for event photos, announcements, news and more at www.facebook.com/RIOCNY. As always, you may also send an email to information@rioc.ny.gov or you may call the office at (212) 832-4540.