Roosevelt Island Seniors Association President Barbara Parker reports:
Hi Everyone,
Please join your Roosevelt Island neighbors in a sign-making afternoon in plans for our participation in the New York Women's March on Saturday, January 21st.
To confirm your attendance for the sign-making this Saturday, January 14th and more information contact:
In the next week, the march organizers will give us a time for our group to be at Dag Hammarskold Plaza. We will then gather on Roosevelt Island and go as a group. If off island people are joining us, we will establish a meeting point for them in Manhattan before we get to Dag plaza.
Mr Calendrillo shares this video interview by Roosevelt Island resident and artist Mark Fraser Betts with Ms. Young who describes her work and influences of Punk and Ska music on her paintings.
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I wanted to share with you a difficult experience I had, yesterday.
I went to the Roosevelt Island Day Nursery (RIDN) in Manhattan Park to pickup my son at 3pm. We left there walking on the west boardwalk towards home. We saw a guy next to the playground smoking marijuana. The smell was very strong, the guy smoked without fear of anyone (the playground was full of children).
I went to him with a smile and told him, please sir do not smoke here, so close to our children, the children can smell it, (I know it was stupid of me to contact him but I approached him with such a polite smile. ..) He started cursing at me with so many curses, I'm ashamed to tell you, and threatened me to stay away.
I told him I was calling the police, walked away and I took a picture of him. The guy ran at me, knocking me to the floor, kicked me in the leg, took my phone and threw it to the floor. He tried to break my phone, I told him to stop, I will delete your picture. He deleted the image and threatened me.
I called the police, and I filed a police report. I do not understand what is happening to our amazing island? It’s so creepy here, why don't the police do anything? Wherever you go, you smell marijuana? Why should our children have to suffer passive smoke from these drugs?
I have back pain, leg pain after he kicked me, and abrasions with blood in hand.
... what is being done to prevent marijuana smoking in outdoor public areas particularly where children are nearby?
Image of Roosevelt Island Playground and West Promenade From Google Maps
Public Safety Director McManus replied:
We are aware of this incident and have taken steps to address it.
The safety and welfare of our children and their parents is paramount and is treated as such on a daily basis. Each day, at both arrival and dismissal times, we deploy a PSD supervisor and 4 to 5 PSD officers to ensure that the children and their parents arrive at and leave school in a safe and orderly manner. We ensure that the children cross safely by managing vehicle and pedestrian traffic in the vicinity of the schools and, in addition, provide patrols by PSD officers in areas around the schools.
We have received complaints of marijuana smoking along the paths adjacent to the sea wall and have addressed these complaints with PSD patrols. I will increase patrols along the sea wall during both arrival and dismissal times and provide random patrols at other times.
Our patrols have resulted in both arrests and the issuance of Criminal Court Summonses and that enforcement will continue. Folks should call the Public Safety Department at 212-832-4545 to report any offenses that are observed, and PSD officers will respond and take corrective action which may include the arrest or summonsing of the offending individual.
The Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Public Safety Committee discussed the issue of marijuana smoking in public next to schools during their January 3 meeting. RIRA Public Safety Committee Chair Erin Feely-Nahem issued the following statement upon learning of yesterday's incident:
The reported violent assault on a women, accompanied by her child, in front of the playground near the Roosevelt Day Nursery, after requesting that the alleged perpetrator refrain from smoking marijuana in front of the children, is completely unacceptable. The assailant should be held legally accountable.
The Public Safety Committee (PSC) is initiating a campaign in favor of no smoke areas where parents,with young children are present.
The following statement, which will be distributed throughout the community, was approved by the Public Safety Committee on January 3, 2017 as part of an educational campaign.
PSC Statement on Legalities of Marijuana
The RIRA Public Safety Committee (PSC) has received some complaints regarding the public smoking of marijuana in various locations, including near or around PS/IS 217 and other areas where parents with young children are present.
The smoking of marijuana in public places remains illegal. Violators are subject to summons and a time-consuming and potentially damaging expedition through the NYC Criminal Justice bureaucracy.
The PSC is sympathetic to parents who do not wish their children to be subjected to second-hand marijuana smoke in the areas cited above. We would like to ask the community to respect community members’ request that areas around children’s’ play area or schools remain smoke free.
The PSC, does not favor a "harsh crackdown" on individuals, often young adults, who might engage in this offense publically, due to misconceptions about the recent easing of the law, instead we wish to emphasize the following::
The PSC asks that voluntary self-restraint and consideration guide future behavior in regard to this issue.
Here's a portion of the January 3 RIRA Public Safety Committee
discussion on public marijuana smoking near schools.
During the January 4 Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Meeting, RIRA Common Council Member Janet Falk asked RIRA Island Services Committee Chair Aaron Hamburger if he knew when Sportspark will re-open. Mr. Hamburger answered
... I'm convinced that it will be later than scheduled... I think we are at least a month or maybe two months away from opening....
Mr Hamburger added that RIOC will begin renovations of the locker room in April.
On January 5 I asked RIOC President Susan Rosenthal:
Any update on when Sportspark will reopen?
Is mid January still the plan?
Ms Rosenthal replied later that day:
It's still the plan but I cannot confirm the actual date since a few players need to be coordinated in order to make sure we have heat (the hook-up of the new boiler is in its final stage). Stay tuned....
One of the Soccer groups has announced that they will be using Sportspark on January 17.
RIOC Vice President of Operations Shelton Haynes replied:
At this time point in time, we are still awaiting dates for inspections for the work on the boiler. After which, they will authorize Con Ed and the manufacturer to finally turn on the boiler. We are doing everything in our power to expedite this process. As soon as we can confirm a date that is certain, we will advise accordingly.
So, still no firm date for opening of Sportspark - Stay tuned.
In partnership with the Carter Burden Senior Center, Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation will kick off its first social affair for island veterans on Thursday, January 12th at 3 PM at the Senior Center, located on 546 Main Street. Stop by for fun, refreshments, and to socialize with fellow islanders who have or are currently serving in the military. We hope to see you there!
The Carter Burden Center for the Aging Roosevelt Island Senior Center program is seeking volunteers to deliver meals to homebound Roosevelt Island residents. Carter Burden Roosevelt Island Senior Center Outreach Director Hallie Shapiro reports:
We are still looking for a regular volunteer to help us deliver meals to our homebound clients on Fridays between 11:45am-1:45pm. Please let me know if you know anyone who may be interested!
Please email Ms. Shapiro or call if you are interested in volunteering.
The Roosevelt Island transportation crisis! No F train today; the whole island must rely on 2 cable cars, with 110 capacity. I must move ... pic.twitter.com/A0UUeHRFVB
And the Roosevelt Island Tram lines are back to normal.
The lines for the Roosevelt Island tram are back to normal. Islanders, now's your chance to leave! (Though one car appears to be delayed) pic.twitter.com/67Qjv93yCU
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.
