Roosevelt Island Residents Start Petition To Save Firefighters Field From RIOC Proposed Temporary Dog Run - Can Adult And Youth Sports Field Coexist With Dog Run?

Excerpt From Save Firefighters Field Petition

An online petition to "Save Firefghters Field" was started yesterday by Roosevelt Island residents seeking to stop a proposed plan by the Roosevelt Island Operating  Corp (RIOC) to place a temporary Southtown dog run in a portion of Firefighters Field.  

 The current Southtown Dog run

is located next to Firefighters Field but needs a new location because it is scheduled to be removed soon due to construction of Hudson Related Building 9 which is expected to begin in the Fall.

According to the petition:

To RIOC and All those Who Represent Our Island Community:

We are members of the Roosevelt Island community who are concerned with RIOC’s abrupt decision to scrap their plan to put a “temporary” dog park beside the ferry landing. The new plan, only recently announced with intentions to start work immediately, to relocate said temporary dog park in a field allocated for sports and recreation, namely Firefighter Field, leaves the community in the lurch. Firefighters Field is used for organized youth sports such as soccer and baseball, as well as adult sports like volleyball and softball, ultimate frisbee, and informal games of catch, to name a few uses. It is also the sight of the annual community Easter Egg Hunt, and a place where schools and youth groups hold games games and field days.

While we acknowledge and support the need for better dog parks on the island, it is illogical to take away an existing sports field, and the only such one in Southtown, for this purpose. Children’s mental health has suffered enough during the pandemic, when yellow tape went up on the fields and playgrounds and human use of these spaces was prohibited. We are finally getting some normalcy back, and parents are relieved to see the joy return to their children’s lives.

We demand a better solution that dog owners and families can all feel good about. As yet another building goes up, the need to preserve the open space we have left becomes all the more urgent. Please, stick to the plan you announced last May for the ferry location under the bridge, or else find a more viable alternative that the whole community can live with.

Yesterday, I asked if RIOC had any comment on the Save Firefighters Field Petition.

RIOC Vice President of Communications Akeem Jamal replied today:

Currently RIOC is finalizing plans that will be released next week for a full update on the temporary relocation of the dog park and plans to construct the historic new dog park.

I followed up asking RIOC: 

What is the reason for the temporary dog run not to be located in area near the Ferry Dock as originally stated by Shelton?

I’m told it is because the soil in the area was found to be contaminated? Is that true? Were soil tests done? What type of contaminants were found?

Also, has the Roosevelt Island community of parents, kids, dog owners and Firefighters Field users been consulted and provided feedback regarding Rioc plans for the Dog Run? 

Image Of Proposed Temporary Dog Run Next To Ferry Dock From May 19 RIOC Board Meeting

Have not received an answer yet.

Mr Jamal reported last September 15 that the temporary Southtown dog run would be located:

... in Firefighter Park near the ball field. Overall size 85’x30’. Large dog run 60’x30’. Small dog run 25’x30’.

and added later that: 

The remaining available area of the field can be used

for other activities.

Last Spring, RIOC promised to build a new and improved temporary dog run, followed by a permanent dog run, to replace the existing Southtown Dog Run after dog owners started their own petition for Off Leash Hours and a new dog run.

Click here to view the Save Firefighters Field petition. 

Can Roosevelt Island adult and youth recreational sports activities coexist with a dog run at Firefighters Field?

Stay tuned.