17th Annual Roosevelt Island Fall For Arts Festival Taking Place Saturday October 8, Live Mural Painting, Food Vendors & More - Gallery RIVAA Group Art Exhibition Opening Reception Too

The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) 

and Roosevelt Island Gallery RIVAA artists are collaborating this year to continue the Roosevelt Island Fall For Arts Festival tradition.

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According to RIOC:

Taking place on the Meditation Lawn on Saturday, October 8th from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, this 17th annual festival will include eclectic live painting of original murals, food vendors and more.

This year’s theme, “Celebrating Diversity,” invites artists to envision how celebrating diversity can display how we appreciate our differences and come together as one. After the festival, selected artworks will be displayed at Roosevelt Island’s Motorgate Atrium Gallery. All artwork will remain RIOC property and may be displayed on Roosevelt Island to beautify the community in the future.

Gallery RIVAA adds:

Please join us at RIVAA Gallery on Saturday, October 8, 2022 from 5-8PM, for the opening of “Journey”. This is a group exhibition by artists Sora Kim, Joseph Seo, Natalia Radziejewska and Hanna Kim. 

 The well known painter, Helen Frankenthaler, once said “Every canvas is a journey all its own”. Each of the artists with works in this exhibition has their individual journey as an artist and as a human being. Join them, throughout this exhibition, as they express their unique impressions of their journeys through their distinctive artworks.

Roosevelt Island Resident Joyce Short Presenting At Women's Wave March To Support Reproductive Rights Saturday October 8 - She Advocates To Make Consent A Civil Right And Supports Pending NY State Bills Introduced By Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright

Roosevelt Island resident and founder of the Consent Awareness Network Joyce Short reports:

I'm honored to be a presenter at tomorrow's  Women's Wave March to protect abortion rights that will start at 12 noon this Saturday, 10/8 at Foley Square (50 Centre Street in lower Manhattan.)  

We're fortunate in NY State to have protections, and even supports for women who decide to terminate a pregnancy. But revoking a woman's human right of "consent" over her bodily autonomy is taking place all around us. 

We need to raise our voices in solidarity to turn our human right into a civil right for everyone, everywhere. Consent is at the intersection of abortion rights and sexual assault. 

Recognizing what "consent" means will aid in prosecuting cases of sex trafficking, domestic violence, rape, and so much more. Today, thanks to Roosevelt Island's very own Assembly Member, Rebecca Seawright, we have two bills pending in Albany that will make "consent" a civil right in NY State. 

Whether people can make it to the Women's Wave or not, everyone can help get the definition for consent codified into law by signing this petition today. 

More on Assembly Member Seawright's Consent bill at this previous post.

NYC Districting Commission Approves New Maps For NYC Council Today, Roosevelt Island Will Stay In Manhattan Council District 5 Represented By Julie Menin Subject To Final Approval Of NYC Council

The New York City Districting Commission today voted to submit the 51 newly drawn City Council district maps to the City Council. These maps were revised from the preliminary plan published by the Commission in July and a proposed revised plan in September. pic.twitter.com/DTx3v3zWZy

— NYC Districting Commission (@DistrictingNYC) October 6, 2022

Under the maps approved today by the NYC Districting Commission, Roosevelt Island will not be moved into Queens City Council District 26 as originally proposed but will remain in Manhattan NYC Council District 5 represented currently by NYC Council Member Julie Menin.

NEW: Redistricting Commission Sends New Map to City Council for Review - via @samarkhurshid @GothamGazette https://t.co/BsfIFM4oKi

— Ben Max (@TweetBenMax) October 6, 2022

According to the Gotham Gazette: 

... The map will now head to the City Council, which has the option of approving it and bringing the redistricting process to a conclusion. The Council could also choose to reject the map and return it to the Commission with suggested changes. The Commission would then hold another round of public hearings before having the final say on the map that will be in place for the next ten years.

The deadline for the final map is December 7. It will then dictate the political lines for City Council elections in 2023 for all 51 seats, with party primaries in June of next year, and the governmental lines as of January 1, 2024....

Here's today's public meeting of the NYC Districting Commission.

This process is still not over. Stay tune.

Sponsored Post - Roosevelt Island Is Experiencing A TREE-naissance - Come Join iDig2Learn And Partners To Celebrate City Of Forest Day With Fun Activities For All Ages At Roosevelt Island Lighthouse Park Saturday October 15

Yes! Join us. We are hosting at Lighthouse Park on Roosevelt Island for all ages - young & young-at-heart! #urbanforest #cityofforestday @NYCParks @TreesNewYork https://t.co/Y08uJQLBYd

— iDig2Learn (@iDig2Learn) October 3, 2022

Roosevelt Island resident and iDig2Learn founder Christina Delfico reports:

Roosevelt Island is experiencing a TREE-naissance!

And what better way to celebrate than right here at Lighthouse Park on Roosevelt Island.  All five NYC boroughs will be hosting events for the first-ever citywide City of Forest Day on Saturday, October 15th, 2022.

Building on the strength of those who have come before us is our aim.

As iDig2Learn celebrates 10 years of serving the community and spotlighting sustainability and the wonders of nature within the sky, land and water we realize everything is connected.  We are grateful to enjoy open green spaces and be part of a community always excited to improve the neighborhood.

“Trees Grow Air,” one young iDig2Learn-er writes.

Local physicians, such as Dr. Ali Schwayri and Dr. Kathie Grimm, and their neighbors knew the benefits of trees to human health and well-being and worked to form the Roosevelt Island Tree Board and plant trees island-wide.   

Roosevelt Island was even designated Tree City USA.

The president of the historical society, Judy Berdy, has planted over 100 trees in a partnership with Material for the Arts.

And members of the garden club and local organizations like Trees New York and NYC Pollinator Working Group have taught us the importance of planting a high percentage of native trees that have evolved locally within this region and therefore support area wildlife and pollinators best.

This past May we planted 28 new trees at Lighthouse Park thanks to Trees New York and a Kaiyo company service day. RIOC’s horticulturist, Matt Kibby, helped walk the land with Sam Bishop, the Director of Education and Arborist from Trees New York, selecting just the right locations for a variety of species of Oak, Maple, Redbud, Tupelo and Sourwoods. They noted which work well as understory trees and which crave sun and would provide good fall color to neighboring Coler residents and park visitors alike.  Throughout the very hot summer RIOC’s grounds team added 50 more and cared for them all with water. Green Roosevelt Island Neighbors (GRIN) and local residents added layers of compost from Big Reuse and the DSNY, compost processed from the very food scraps residents drop each Saturday from 9am to 2pm with the Haki Compost Collective volunteers - truly full circle.

Check out partner contributions and our great line up …

Starting at 11am add a blanket of compost and mulch around the recently planted 70 new trees. Learn about compost with GRIN. Meet local urban Jack Burkhalter to understand how we are all connected. Try Plein air drawing with Artist Thom Heyer and send a postcard. Meet Coler friends for healthy forest bathing. Join a short tree walk at 2:30pm with Sam Bishop, Arborist from Trees New York. Enjoy the closing dance performance, The Forests’ Embryo with Chris Bisram at 2:45pm:

THE FORESTS' EMBRYO plays with the personification of our wildlife as well as their development. The forest is alive and it has emotions at every stage of its life. Through utilizing the body as a vessel for the soon to come forest Bisram hopes to show the evolution from sapling to full growth tree. While doing this they hope to tell a story from the perspective of the trees channeling individual characteristics of the Oak, Maple, Willow and Redbud.

We hope to see you on City of Forest Day, an event for all ages at Lighthouse Park on Roosevelt Island from 11am to 3pm.   

Our rain date is Sunday, October 16, 2022 same timing.

If you are interested in volunteering please email idig2learn@gmail.com with the subject line FOREST before Tuesday, October 11th.

Find out more at NYC City Of Forest Day.

Trees help prevent #waterpollution by capturing excess #stormwaterrunoff. How many gallons of #stormwater does your neighborhood #streettree collect per year? You can find out on the @NYCParks street tree map! https://t.co/Ne1rrFX0Es #nycurbanforest #protectourtrees #treeequity pic.twitter.com/T1HNvSsVhV

— Trees New York (@TreesNewYork) October 4, 2022

Introducing the NYC Fall Foliage Tracker! We'll update our Tracker all season long as your favorite NYC trees change into their autumn colors. Check out our fall foliage guide at https://t.co/yfTlvdedR7 to take a peek at when we expect the leaves to change! #FallforNYC pic.twitter.com/oBxdzz9KxJ

— NYC Parks (@NYCParks) October 4, 2022

Con Ed Electrical Transformer Fire Next To Roosevelt Island Tram This Afternoon Put Out By FDNY - Tram Shut Down For A Few Hours Before Service Resumed

Smoke was seen coming up from the ground and the smell of fire was in the air

as the FDNY was investigating and putting out a fire in a Con Ed electrical transformer vault behind the Roosevelt Island Tram station this afternoon.

According to a Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) email advisory and tweet at 1:31 pm :

Please be advised that earlier this afternoon, there was a small transformer fire near the Roosevelt Island Tram. The Tram is out of service until further notice due to smoke accumulation. RIOC will send out further updates via social media, text, and email once service resumes.

And another at 2:55 PM:

Please be advised the Roosevelt Island Tram is back in service. Thank you for your understanding and patience.

I was told that this Con Ed Transformer does not power the Roosevelt Island Tram and that Con Ed was sending a team to investigate the cause of the fire.

Do You Want To Work On Roosevelt Island - RIOC Seeking Chief Financial Officer, Sportspark Manager, Communications Director, Human Resources Director & Paralegal

Would you like to work close to home here on Roosevelt Island? If you do, the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) has several job opportunities available.

We're hiring!

Use the link below to view an updated list of available positions. https://t.co/kzPzXLWI8P pic.twitter.com/ZHEtJsc9Zf

— Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (@RIOCny) October 4, 2022

More RIOC job opportunities here.

Good luck.

Sportspark Substantially Completed But Opening Delayed Until Late Fall Or Winter Say RIOC President Shelton Haynes During President's Report To Board Of Directors Meeting - Other Topics Discussed Include Blackwell Park Redesign With Comfort Station, Staff Person Promoted To Chief Operating Officer And More Roosevelt Island News

Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) President Shelton Haynes presented his Community Report to the September 29 RIOC Board of Directors Meeting,

Among the topics discussed were:

• Temporary Dog Run locating at Firefighters Field, 
• Sportspark Facility substantially completed but target opening date delayed until late Fall/Winter 
• Blackwell park will be redesigned and include a new comfort station
• 5 year RIOC employee Mary Cuneen will be promoted to Chief Operating Officer
• October Halloween Celebration in Southpoint Park, same as last year. No mention of traditional Roosevelt Island  Halloween Parade.
• Hispanic Heritage Festival Celebration October 15
  
• Roosevelt Island Property managers scheduled for October
• RIOC files temporarily stored in the Cultural Center have been removed opening up space for community group to use.
  

Here's the full September 29 RIOC President's Report

 

Click to the beginning of the video to watch the full September 29 RIOC Board Of Directors meeting.