Roosevelt Island ball fields, basketball courts and dog runs closed due to the Coronavirus Pandemic shutdown will reopen Monday July 13.
According to the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC):
Please be advised that RIOC will reopen all outdoor basketball courts, dog runs, and sports fields on Monday, July 13th.
Residents and visitors are asked to avoid participating in high-contact games, such as football and basketball, to continue wearing face coverings, and to maintain proper social distancing practices at all times.
As of Monday, July 13th
Open areas will include:
Comfort Stations at Lighthouse Park and Southpoint Park
Outdoor Tennis Courts (7:30 AM- 8:30 PM)– reservation system here
All public playgrounds
Pony Field and Capobianco Field (7 AM- 9 PM) – for exercise only
McManus and Firefighters Fields (7 AM- 9 PM) – socially distanced games only
All basketball courts- (7 AM- 9 PM) No games. Socially distanced shoot-around only
All dog runs
Closed areas will include:
Sportspark
All public cooking areas
Please note that summer day camp programs have priority on all fields and courts Mon. - Fri., 9 AM - 4 PM, through Aug. 28, 2020
For more information on NYS Department of Health sports and recreation guidance, please click here.
For details on complete New York Forward guidance, please click here.
While our dog runs are closed until further notice, our parks remain open to dogs and pet owners to get fresh air and exercise; however, dogs must be kept on a leash and dog owners must keep social distance. Off-leash hours are still in effect at designated parks. pic.twitter.com/skFDot6uLN
NEW: Citing inadequate compliance with social distancing rules, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says, "We are going to close down the New York City playgrounds."
Except not on Roosevelt Island this afternoon. A Concerned Roosevelt Island Parent Tipster reports:
Why are Roosevelt Island playgrounds still open and being used (Today, 4/2, 12:23pm, Blackwell and the other playground next to it)?
Didn’t Gov. Cuomo close all nyc playgrounds?
I believe these areas should be clearly marked as closed (similar to fields, which I actually disagree with those being closed, given they reduce the amount of space for exercise within guidelines!).
I asked the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) about status of our playgrounds and was told they would look into it.
The existing Roosevelt Island Southtown Dog run will soon be removed for the construction of Hudson Related's Riverwalk Building 9. The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) plans a new replacement dog run to be located in Blackwell Park and opening before the current one is removed this winter.
The original location for the Blackwell Park Dog Run was a spot adjacent to Rivewalk 480 Main Street close to the East Waterfront Promenade. However, RIOC announced during its October 17 Board Meeting plans for a new Blackwell Park Dog Run location next to Roosevelt Landings 510 Main Street, a bit further north and again close to the East River Waterfront Promenade in the area surrounding the current sandbox
During the October 17 RIOC Board Meeting Public Session, former resident and always Roosevelt Island Dog Advocate Scott Piro, together with other Roosevelt Island dog owners and caregivers,
requested that the new Blackwell Park Dog Run be named for his dog Petey. According to Mr. Piro:
... I'd like to introduce you Petey, He is a 10 year old Lab mix. He's also an immigrant, he was rescued from a Tel Aviv kill shelter and immigrated to New York when he was five. He was an Island resident in 2015 until earlier this year. We are requesting that the new Dog Run be named after him - Petey's Dog Run.
The reason why is because I did more community service for the dog population on the island than anyone else I think ever. Now, I didn't do it alone. Mary Cuneen, Steve Noone, Fernando Vargas and there were other people at RIOC who helped me and I had a lot of help in the community some people who are here right now...
Following Mr. Piro's presentation, Roosevelt Island parent Rachel Dowling spoke expressing opposition to the Blackwell Park Dog Run location for safety reasons being so close to areas where children play.
According to an October 18 statement from Ms Dowling:
Once again the community is being blindsided by dog park construction plan that has not been vetted with Roosevelt Island Residents.
After an outcry from local parents about a half-baked plan to place the dog run on a slice of Blackwell Park that abuts the sprinklers and the small children’s playground, Hudson-Related and RIOC has agreed to locate the new dog run closer to the site of where it currently sits.
But somewhere along the line Hudson-Related reneged on that agreement and convinced RIOC to give up some of their land in the northeast corner of Blackwell Park, squeezing a dog park plan in an already congested area abutting the big kids playground, the basketball courts, and the pending bike path.
Last night the RIOC board voted unanimously to push this plan through without any bid from contractors, stating that a vote when they next convene in early December would be too late to complete the work in time for the closure of the current Southtown dog park for the construction of another building.
This is an obvious move to strong arm the community into a plan we don’t agree with or feel comfortable with.
We are concerned about the obvious safety issues posed by a dog park at the children’s playground. Active children and dogs don’t always mix. As an example, my ten year old son had a terrifying experience last month at Riverwalk Commons when a dog got off his least and aggressively went after my son. While we were able to distract the dog before he could bite my son, my son was deeply traumatized by this experience. These are not events that we as a community should be inviting. Children have a right to play without fear.
Furthermore, the current plan essentially pens in the whole north end of the park, from the north basketball court to the children’s playground, cutting it off from the promenade, the trees, and the view of the water. It would create a drastic change to a space that is used by many members of the community.
We demand that RIOC suspend this plan and come up with something better. An interim dog park could easily replace the current park while plans are vetted and finalized in a way that takes the needs of the whole community to heart.
A petition drive has been started to oppose a Dog Run in Blackwell Park:
To be delivered to Susan Rosenthal , President of RIOC
We are concerned community members worried about the location for the new dog run next to the basketball courts and the big kids playground (and soon the bike path) at Blackwell Park. We are concerned about safety as well as the loss of open space. We feel that since so much space is being lost due to HR construction the dog park should be placed down there, where it won’t impede the passive enjoyment of the park, kids at play, and where it also is more likely to be maintained.
Roosevelt Island Mom and Dog owner Patty Fallone replied to Ms Dowling during the RIOC Board Public Session:
... I think the dog run can co-exist close to the playground as long as it is done properly.
In response to the Blackwell Park Dog Run opposition, Mr Piro writes:
I scouted the entire southern residential section of the Island in 2017 – and identified a dozen potential locations for a new dog run from which RIOC could choose. More than 50 members of the Island’s most active dog owners voted upon these selections and chose the triangular patch adjacent to 480 Main Street.
The dog community is happy with the current location and design of ‘Petey’s Dog Run,’ but some of us did feel the original spot was superior. Chief among its advantages are that it is flat, shaded and isolated. It’s inaccurate to describe it as ‘abutting’ the small children’s playground, as a recent WIRE story did. There is a paved path dividing the two spots – and at least 10 feet separate the two plots.
Planners of urban parks across the city see no hazards in placing dog runs and children’s playgrounds adjacent one another, as evidenced by existing multi-use parks in Carl Schurz Park (UES) and Riverside Park (UWS). St. Nicholas Park near Harlem positioned the dog run adjacent the barbeque area, and Cooper Park in Brooklyn places dog runs next to multiple sports fields.
There is nothing inherently unsafe about locating a dog run next to a children’s play area. The counterargument may be loud, but it is not rational.
and Roosevelt Island resident Sabrina Hermosilla adds:
I’ve been on the Island since 2006 and am a proud responsible human and animal parent.
As with all experiments in multiculturalism, Roosevelt Island residents often finds ourselves tasked with balancing the various and different needs of many different and equally important groups.
What brought my husband and I to this haven over 13 years ago was this desire to co-exist, this belief that we are better together, and that our unique needs and differences is what makes life here rich and rewarding. Over the past 13 years we have been fortunate to host all of our 11 nieces and nephews and have loved how welcoming this island is to children and families from all walks of life. No place is perfect, but we always felt safe playing with these children outside and showing to them how beautiful diversity can be.
Nine years ago we decided to add a dog to our family and the island truly came alive for us. We had already been on the Island for almost four years, but when we brought Tallula into our lives we met neighbors, people stopped (and stop) us on the street to see her, and we were able to volunteer at the hospital so Tallula could bring her joy to those who needed it most.
What surprised us the most was that while some people have a fear of dogs (which we obviously would avoid) the large majority of people, every age, every language, every social or economic status, were drawn to and loved to get some Tallula love. Having a dog not only helped us join our community and know neighbors (we still meet people who know Tallula whom we have never met!) but I truly believe offered a community good, she makes people smile.
Two years ago we were blessed with a human child of our own. Watching him grow up in a household with animals and learn to respect, show compassion, and responsibility, is truly one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Animals and children have co-existed in harmony since our earliest times on this Earth, and offer such a rich opportunity for joint growth and enrichment.
Recently, I have been saddened to hear that a small, but vocal, group is using the long-overdue relocation of a dog park to stoke fears of disease, contagion, and violence between dogs and children. There are irresponsible dog parents / guardians who do not pick up their dog’s waste, true. Just as there are irresponsible human parents / guardians who do not manage their children sufficiently, allow them to litter food, plastic, balloons, etc.
However, we on this Island do not make policy, the few times RIOC allows us to have a say, we do not make policy from a position of fear or of the small minority of offenders. No, instead, I hope, we come together as a community that understands there are unique needs, that most children and dogs are well behaved and well cared for, and that both human and dog children deserve space on this ever-growing Island. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of examples of dog parks and children’s parks being co-located, please, Roosevelt Island, let us not fall into the bitter, divisive discourse of these times, but instead find our shared community, and allow the dog park relocation to continue as planned.
I asked RIOC:
... Is RIOC reconsidering placing the dog run in Blackwell Park?
A RIOC Spokesperson replied October 23:
The safety of our residents and park users is always our main objective. We believe the planned improvements for the entire park is a thoughtful, safe design for all user groups and will address the concerns about the location of the dog park voiced at the Board meeting and in the referenced petition.
As indicated in our presentation during the Board meeting, this project is being bid for construction in two phases. The dog park is included in the first phase of work. The second phase includes improvements of the basketball courts, play areas and paths. The second phase is in design now and will be issued for contractor pricing next Spring.
The design for the entire park incorporates industry best practices for dog runs. The dog park is completely fenced and has a series of two self-closing gates to enter. The first gate allows dog users to enter the vestibule with their leased dog. The second gate allows users to enter the pen for either large or small dogs and take the dog off leash upon entering the pen. The pen will be well shaded and is located at the perimeter of the park. There is dense planting outside the fence to provide a visual barrier between dogs and other park users.
All of these elements combined provide a safe experience for children using the park, large dog owners, small dog owners and residents enjoying a walk along the promenade. We realize that design, like art, is subject to personal taste but we try to put forth solutions that appeal to most.
In response to concerns voiced at the Board meeting, we’ve taken another look at the plan and decided to eliminate the vestibule entrance from the park. A revised plan with a single point of access to the vestibule from the promenade will be provided to the contractors. We feel once all of the planned improvements are complete, all of the user groups will be able to safely coexist in Blackwell Park.
RIOC Assistant VP Of Capital Planning & Projects Jonna Carmona-Graf reported to the RIOC Board of Directors and RIOC President Susan Rosenthal during the October 17 Board meeting on plans for the Blackwell Park (Part 1)
An occasional column of questions and answers to and from RIOC President and CEO Susan Rosenthal
HEY SUSAN!
What is the latest update on the playground updates and repairs? Weren’t there plans to enlarge the playground and redo the sandbox last fall? With summer coming and the kids outside all day, it would be a shame to close them for renovations now. Is there any plans to revise the kids’ sprinklers which could use a major overhaul as well given the rocky sharp surfaces and the poor drainage?
SUSAN: The landscape architecture consultant hired to prepare drawings for improvements needed in the park is currently doing their analysis and inventory of needs. One part of the plan is to replace the sandbox with new “climbing” equipment. Once the analysis is complete, the consultant will make recommendations for work to be included in the contract. We have scheduled design work to finish late summer so the construction work can take place in the fall, when the kids are back in school.
HEY SUSAN!
Is it true that RIOC is going to permanently fence in the Octagon Soccer Field and remove about 10 trees?
SUSAN: The design for Octagon Soccer field include a low 3’-6” fence along the south and west sides of the field to keep the ball on the field of play. The fence along the west side will have a 76’ opening at the center of the field for access. There are seven trees in poor condition that will be removed. These trees will be impacted by the excavation work needed to make the paths ADA accessible. We are also planting ten trees as part of the work for this contract.
HEY SUSAN!
RI's residents allow their dogs to poop in the small park located in front of Piccolo Trattoria pizzeria. Residents ignore the 3-4 signs that are very well located around this area. On this regard, what can you do? Can RIOC place bigger signs? Can you introduce fines to dog's owner?
SUSAN: We will speak with our public safety officers about strictly enforcing the rules about dog waste and request they issue summons as appropriate. We can also analyze which sites have the most offenders and install additional signage and/or dog waste bag dispensers, as needed.
Do you have a question you’d like to have answered by RIOC President & CEO Susan Rosenthal? Send it to the subject HEY SUSAN! at information@rioc.ny.gov. Want to report a problem? Send us feedback at rioc.ny.gov/Requesttracker.aspx.
Here's just one example of a dog owner ignoring signage right in front of him prohibiting dogs on grass
During the July 23 Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board of Directors Meeting (video of full meeting here), RIOC President Susan Rosenthal reported that both Al Lewis playground at Capobianco Field
and Blackwell Park Playground
will close for renovations in August.
RIOC Public Information Officer Alonza Robertson adds:
Community Update
The Grandpa Al Lewis Playground, at Capobianco Field, and the Blackwell Park Playground will be closed Aug. 13 - Oct. 15 due to ground surface renovations.
New padded-rubber flooring will replace the existing broken concrete, cracked asphalt and wood-chip ground surfaces. New fencing and picnic tables will also be installed.
The replacement and installation of some new playground equipment for those playgounds is planned for Phase 2 of the project to start in the spring of 2019.
While the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation understands the time concern of the closure, the playgrounds are in desperate need of attention from both equipment and flooring-safety standpoints.
The schedule has been reviewed and this approach timewise was found to be the least impactful due to the ability to complete the total amount of work with one closure, as opposed to staggering.
The time of year for the rubber flooring is also critical, as contractors are not able to pour the rubber material once it reaches a certain temperature in the fall.
We apologize for the inconvenience.
(FYI: The Grandpa Al Lewis Playground is named after an American character actor best known for his role as Count Dracula look-alike "Grandpa", opposite Fred Gwynne's and Yvonne De Carlo's characters, on the CBS television series "The Munsters" from 1964 to 1966 and its subsequent film versions. Mr. Lewis was a Roosevelt Island resident who later in life was also a restaurant owner, political candidate, and radio broadcaster).
UPDATE 8/14 - Correction, the older kids playground in Blackwell Park
Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Susan Rosenthal reported during the July 23 RIOC Board meeting that preliminary testing of Roosevelt Island water fountains revealed:
... some high levels, higher than EPA allows, of bacteria, not E-Coli, in some of them. One sample had elevated iron levels..
Roosevelt Island drinking water fountains have been shut off since July 6 after RIOC received a report from resident Frank Farance of possible contamination of the water supply to drinking fountains.
Today, the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) provided an update on our Drinking Water Fountains. According to RIOC Public Information Officer Alonza Robertson:
Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation’s top priority is the safety and well-being of its residents and visitors. On July 6, after concerns were raised about water quality, we immediately shut down the water supply systems in all parks, playgrounds and drinking fountains, conducted water quality testing at 11 different locations, and consulted with state health officials. Preliminary results indicate that the water in drinking fountains poses no risk for continued use.
However, as an additional safeguard, health officials recommended that the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation conduct additional testing from a New York State certified laboratory. The water will remain off at all parks while additional testing is performed and reviewed, and upon completion of testing, we will share the results with the public.
Following the lead of Mr. Farance, the Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) expressed their concerns to RIOC about the water fountains in this July 25 letter.
Re: Quality Concerns of RIOC Maintained Public Fountains
Dear Ms. Rosenthal,
As Co-Chairs of the RIRA Island Services Committee ("ISC") and as the President of the Roosevelt Island Residents Association ("RIRA"), we write to express our collective concern about your report on July 23rd at the RIOC special Board meeting that preliminary testing on Roosevelt Island drinking water fountains revealed “... some high levels, higher than EPA allows, of bacteria, not E-Coli, in some of them [including] elevated iron levels...”
Of particular disappointment is RIOC’s failure to keep in direct communication with residents, particularly those that use such water fountains, about the concern over the safety of consumption of water from the drinking water fountains as well as its failure to adequately post signs/notices with information related to the drinking fountains shut off and the reasons for such shut off.
It would be prudent that RIOC recall that the suspicion of contamination of the public drinking fountains arose from information that RIOC provided to Roosevelt Island residents during negotiations to secure an adequate source of potable water for the WFF cat sanctuary in Southpoint Park.
All Roosevelt Island residents, and especially parents of young children, expect that RIOC will maintain the highest standards ensuring a healthy, safe environment for all, especially our children.
RIOC must publicly provide and present a complete water analysis report. On behalf of all Roosevelt Island residents we demand to know the accuracy of RIOC's assertion and assurance that only some of the public drinking fountains are hooked up to the irrigation water source, which is not potable, as opposed to the main water lines that serve the Island buildings and which we presume is chlorinated and UV-treated New York City water. RIOC has provided no reassurance that even the public drinking fountains in Southpoint Park are safe.
We trust that both you and RIOC share the Roosevelt Island residents' concerns over the safety of public drinking water sources, and agree that water quality and safety is an extremely important and a top priority for residents. As RIRA Common Council elected members, we demand to be kept promptly informed of any and all further results on the water quality testing, the timeline for ameliorating this disturbing issue and on RIOC’s progress in finding solutions to the problem.
Jeffrey R. Escobar
President, Roosevelt Island Residents Association
Rossana Ceruzzi & Mickey Rindler Co-Chairs, RIRA Island Services Committee
The Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) announced Friday that it will shut down drinking water fountains on the Island while it investigates potential water source line issues.
RIOC thanks Island resident Frank Farance for sharing his concerns about the fountains with RIOC.
Independent consultants have been enlisted to assist RIOC with its review.
Image From Frank Farance
Earlier today, Roosevelt Island community activist Frank Farance posted this comment about possible contamination at Roosevelt Island water fountains.
Healthy Building International Inc. has been retained by the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) to conduct water sampling and analysis at several drinking water fountain locations in parks and playgrounds across Roosevelt Island, RIOC President and CEO Susan Rosenthal said Tuesday.
The tests are designed to provide a comprehensive analysis of the water and to confirm its acceptability for consumption. The samples will be compared with the relevant federal Department of Environmental Protection (EPA) contaminant levels of microbials, metals and inorganic substances.
A plumbing engineer selected from RIOC’s newly formed A&E (Architectural and Engineering) Services committee (a panel of qualified, multi-disciplined architects and engineers) will help RIOC officials interpret the results, draft and consider potential solutions. The water analysis and a downstream review is focused on each specific point of water line connection to each actual fountain or public use spigot or valve.
RIOC announced last Friday that it was immediately shutting down water fountains after concerns, raised by Roosevelt Island resident Frank Farance about potential water source lines, prompted the agency to schedule the analysis.
“As-built drawings” – the final set of drawings a contractor files to document work, changes, construction processes and the location of all elements of the work completed and maintained - were not archived for work at all the parks and playgrounds built in the early 1970s and maintained thereafter. Those drawings document whether the playground fountains are connected to the irrigation lines or domestic water lines in the area. Without the “as-built” drawings for the other drinking fountains on the Island, RIOC cannot be certain about the connection source of all the other fountains.
RIOC had the “as-builts” for Southpoint Park’s drinking fountain from 2010 and can verify that the water is from its domestic line not the park’s irrigation system.
It was revealed during a recent water use disagreement with Wildlife Freedom Foundation (WFF), which runs cat sanctuaries on the Island, that the WFF water hose was using an irrigation line connection for its Southpoint sanctuary. (WFF has since said it was willing to continue to use “not potable,” irrigation water for their Southpoint sanctuary).
In addition to this project, The A&E services committee is expected to help RIOC manage capital projects, infrastructure maintenance and repairs – including the Sportspark renovations, the FDR Hope Memorial, the Firefighters Field comfort station/bathroom construction, future Lighthouse renovations, elevator consultant and Motorgate repairs - more efficiently and simply put, “get things done more quickly,” Rosenthal said....
Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Public Information Officer Alonza Robertson updates us on current Roosevelt Island infrastructure projects. According to Mr. Robertson:
There is very little available, or unaccounted for, space left on Roosevelt Island’s 147 acres to build new infrastructure. But there’s a big need to maintain its existing infrastructure and keep it updated for the next 50 years.
The reality though is RI’s infrastructure maintenance is often costly, time-consuming and considered a disruptive inconvenience to residents, business owners and even tourists and visitors who live, work and flock here in growing annual numbers. But the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) believes maintenance’s long-term benefits trump the short-term inconveniences
Last year, RIOC embarked on a robust five-year capital improvement plan. Some of those initial projects now are close to completion. Below, we’ll update the status of those, revisit the progress of others and maybe introduce you to more plans of which you might have been unaware.
The Helix Ramp: This road construction repair job began in February and during early demolition and preparation the structure was found to be in a more severe state of disrepair than previously thought. In May, the contractors and project managers extended the project scope and timeline for completion. The two-lane spiral roadway and adjacent plaza will now re-open to traffic on July 3. There will be intermittent disruptions to two way traffic to complete installation of new guardrails as well as expansion joint material along the lower ramp of the helix.
The deteriorating Roosevelt Island seawall railings that run along the majority of the Island’s shoreline about 3.5 miles in length are being replaced with new anti-corrosive steel railings. The $8.7 million project is being completed by Elit Green Builders Corporation which so far has completed about a third of the project around the southern end of the Island. Work is expected to continue through December 2018.
The Tram Station platform construction, a project that began May 16 and was scheduled to last 30 days, has been delayed by inclement weather. The construction work along with the re-installation of MetroCard vending machines should be completed by the end of June. Both cabins of the Tram will return to service at that time.
Tram Station Elevator: A $6.1 million construction project to upgrade the Manhattan Tram Station elevator started this week and the two building phases will be finished by late Spring 2019. The elevator project, at 59th Street and Second Avenue, calls for an iconic, two-bank, ADA-compliant glass elevator which replaces the existing elevator that has outlasted its expected mechanical life.
The RI Youth Center renovation work is now in the proposal bid process. Once a contractor is selected this summer, the work will last up to three months. The youth center programs will be relocated to the Sportspark during the construction period.
Blackwell House Renovation is a full structural refurbishment of the original farmhouse home of the Blackwell family, one of the early owners and inhabitants of what is now known as Roosevelt Island. The outside porch and entire interior, of the home built in 1796, has been totally gutted and new floors, walls, support beams, stairways, and code-compliant HAVC systems are being installed. The house will serve as a community meeting facility and new office for the Roosevelt Island Historical Society and reservoir for all Island and RIOC archives. Current completion date is early fall 2018.
The Al Lewis and Blackwell north playground areas will be getting playground equipment repairs and replacement and new poured in place rubberized play surfaces; work is set to begin later this summer.
Stay tuned for additional updates and news about upcoming projects at Octagon Field, Firefighter’s Field, Motorgate, Southpoint Park and Lighthouse Park.
Well, I do think RIOC should be given credit for replying to the info in Tweet but most important thing is to fix the dangerous condition immediately before anyone gets hurt.
During September 27 Community Board 8 Roosevelt Island committee meeting, RIOC President Susan Rosenthal reported that the RIOC Board approved safety improvements, including new flooring, for the Al Lewis and Blackwell Park playground.
Discussion begins below at the 1 minute 30 second mark.
An August 9 Special Meeting of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board of Directors will take place August 9 starting 5:30 pm at the Cultural Center (548 Main Street).
Prior to the start of the RIOC Board meeting, there will be a public comment period. Sign up here to speak at the meeting.
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a meeting of the Real Estate Development Advisory Committee of the RIOC Board of Directors will be held on Tuesday, June 13, 2017 at 5:30 p.m. at the RIOC Administrative Office, 591 Main Street, Roosevelt Island, New York.
Agenda:
1. Review Public Utilization of Available RIOC Facilities
2. Review Upgrades to Playgrounds and Other Installations
3. Receive an Update on Retail Space Utilization
4. Enter into Executive Session to Discuss the Proposed Leases of Real Property
5. Any Other Committee Business That may be Brought Before the Committee
* * *
The Open Meetings Law of the State of New York requires that all public bodies conduct meetings, convened for the purpose of officially conducting public business, in a manner open to attendance by the general public to observe and listen.
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a meeting of the Real Estate Development Advisory Committee of the RIOC Board of Directors will be held on Thursday, May 18, 2017 at 5:30 p.m. at the RIOC Administrative Office, 591 Main Street, Roosevelt Island, New York.
Agenda:
1. Review Public Utilization of Available RIOC Facilities
2. Review Upgrades to Playgrounds and Other Installations
3. Receive an Update on Retail Space Utilization
4. Enter into Executive Session to Discuss Leases of Real Property
5. Any Other Committee Business That may be Brought Before the Committee
***
The Open Meetings Law of the State of New York requires that all public bodies conduct meetings, convened for the purpose of officially conducting public business, in a manner open to attendance by the general public to observe and listen.
During April 20 RIOC Board of Directors meeting public session, Roosevelt Island parent Chris Warsing requested that RIOC make our local ball fields more available for local kids and residents by reducing the amount of permitting to off-Island groups.
The picture below shows entire Firefighters Field being used on a weekend by off-island permitted group.
Mr. Warsing also asked for the ball fields to be re-surfaced for better and safer use.
Here's what Mr. Warsing had to say.
Hopefully, this issue will be discussed as part of the public utilization of RIOC facilities agenda item.
UPDATE 5/18:
RIOC adds:
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Real Estate Development Advisory Committee meeting previously scheduled for Thursday, May 18, 2017 has been postponed. The date and location of the rescheduled meeting shall be announced at a later time.
Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Roosevelt Landings Common Council Member and Mom Susy del Campo Perea reported yesterday:
Blackwell Playground Sprinkler Is ON!!! Yay!
Just one is on, but at least one is working.
Remember to help by keeping the Sprinkler drainage clear of any object that can clog it because if it gets clogged, RIOC might have to turn off the sprinklers in order to fix it (and we know that it takes time for RIOC).
We now have one of two sprinklers working, one baby swing for the whole island and a broken swing for toddlers. The piece broken is the plastic bucket seat.
The 2 baby play structures
in Blackwell Park retain water when raining or when watering the surrounding grass. This happens all year long. The structures are installed incorrectly. They have drainage canals but they do not work because of the way they were installed (crooked).
It is now mosquito season. In that area, we have a lot of mosquitoes due to the water sitting there for days. These play structures are the ones for babies and toddlers (as the sticker says 0-36 months). Nobody wants their baby touching water that is dirty and has been there sitting for days.
Also, the 2 blue poles in the middle of the playground
are extremely dangerous. The holes that they have are big enough for toddlers and kids to put their fingers through but also the fingers are getting stuck.
The two poles are nothing but 2 Dangerous located in the middle of the play area where kids have bumped into them more than one time (the height is perfect for kids bumping their heads with those). Please remove them completely (not fixed but removed). While waiting for the poles to be removed, the holes (2 per pole) can be closed or screws with caps can be installed to avoid a finger injury.
Imagination Playground is an innovative playground equipment system that transforms any space — schools, children's museums, parks and recreation, daycare centers, camps, hospitals, churches — into a play space that encourages learning, social development, movement, and above all fun.
Using Imagination Playground blocks, kids build a new world every day. They make objects like animals, rocket ships, and robots. They make imaginary places like houses, factories, and cities. They make new dramatic scenarios, settings, and games to play. Most important, they make the rules. Because Imagination Playground is child-directed and open-ended, it encourages self-expression through deep, joyful play....
Some Roosevelt Island parents of toddlers are disappointed with the new Blackwell Park playground because it is not as suitable for young children as the Southtown Tot Lot it replaced. They also have safety concerns for the younger children because Blackwell Park playground is being used by older children and teenagers. As reported previously by Roosevelt Island parent Avery:
it's a beautiful new park, and the shaded location is wonderful. The kids seem to be having a great time. As the mother of a soon-to-be toddler though, I'm so sad to see the old tot lot go, and I know that several other parents of toddlers feel the same. The new play structure is rated for children 5-12, and is definitely way to big for the 2-3 year olds. The only equipment for the little ones are a low swing and some balance boards, but these are not physically separated from the big kids area so are being used by the big kids, which push the little ones away. Also, we are down to only one bucket swing now, which is sad. Anyway, it's a shame that there are so many playgrounds for kids 5+ on the island, but we have lost the only one for kids 1-5. Can I hope that the old tot lot equipment will reappear somewhere else on the island?
Another reader added:
As an early childhood specialist, I can attest to the concerns of the "toddler" parents. Infants and toddlers cannot share a playground without a fenced in area protecting toddler section from older children. The older kids are just being kids. Not their fault. The fault lies with whoever designed this playground space. It appears they were cutting corners. A toddler park within a park for all ages can be done. It just takes a little more knowledge of child development and some good ole "common sense". ONE Infant/Toddler swing?? Come on! Really?!
Sarah Willard, of Blackwell Park playground developer Hudson Related, explains:
... Our goal all along was to allow a full “arc of ages” (6 months to 8/9 years old) to play in the same playground so that 1) siblings could concurrently play and that 2) a toddler would not “age out” of the playground quickly. The next playground in Blackwell Park is nowhere within visual or physical proximity of this playground—a caregiver could not safely watch a 2- year-old and a 6-year-old playing in two separate playgrounds. Even on the large play apparatus, we dialed in play equipment for pre-toddler (at the ground level), toddlers and 2-5, including one of the two slides. I sent to the RI Parents Group the specs of the toddler and 2-5 play equipment and can do that again if parents would like the information.
The tree perimeter defined how large the playground could be given that these were some of the most mature trees on the island to utilize their shade; we could not tear down trees to build the tot lot. Given the site constraints, we could only have one large play apparatus (for multiple ages) and a few smaller play devices, all with their prescribed fall zones.
It is not unusual to have children of mixed ages playing in the same park. I see this all the time where elementary school kids and toddlers are in the same City Park—often they are siblings....
Roosevelt Island parent Jamie Powell Schwartz shares these photos of teenagers playing on top of the Blackwell Park playground swings:
... as illustrative of safety concerns posed by older "children" using the playground unsupervised....
A Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) representative responded today to some of the concerns raised by Roosevelt Island parents to the new Blackwell Park playground
Roosevelt Island Blackwell Park Playground This Afternoon
it's a beautiful new park, and the shaded location is wonderful. The kids seem to be having a great time. As the mother of a soon-to-be toddler though, I'm so sad to see the old tot lot go, and I know that several other parents of toddlers feel the same. The new play structure is rated for children 5-12, and is definitely way to big for the 2-3 year olds. The only equipment for the little ones are a low swing and some balance boards, but these are not physically separated from the big kids area so are being used by the big kids, which push the little ones away. Also, we are down to only one bucket swing now, which is sad. Anyway, it's a shame that there are so many playgrounds for kids 5+ on the island, but we have lost the only one for kids 1-5. Can I hope that the old tot lot equipment will reappear somewhere else on the island?
Saw another parent walking off with a screw their child had found in the playground today. They seem to all be falling out from underneath the balance boards.The gate to the swings is now stuck open and wedged on the ground.
The RIOC representative sent the following email concerning issues raised about the new Blackwell Park playground:
I am reaching out to the various island community leaders to inform them that we have been notified that there have been two issues reported to RIOC regarding the new playground. As soon as I received this information, I reported it back to the responsible parties. The update was provided to me:
1) Broken Latch to entry gate: the latch that is broken is not the main gate, but rather the latch on the disabled accessible gate leading to the swings. It was picked up this morning and will have new reinforcements put in. It is believed that kids and or adults are hanging on the gate because it has a wide arc (for wheelchairs). The installer was instructed to stiffen the entire gate just in case this theory is in fact true. It will be reinstalled this week.
2) Screws Found near balance board apparatus: The bolts in question are believed to originate from two of the gray base pads of the balancer (the small play equipment to help kids learn to balance). Although this should have not occurred, this does not affect safety or use but is definitely a high priority to be replaced. The playground equipment installer is scheduled to make repairs tomorrow with replacement bolts for all of the equipment and will a) replace the balancer missing bolts and b) confirm that all other equipment bolts are in and secured.
Roosevelt Island parent Luisana Santana provides this report on last Thursday's Blackwell Park Playground Opening Day.
“Everyone loves a new playground” were the remarks of the president of the Roosevelt Island Resident Association, Ellen Polivy
minutes before the Grand Opening of The Blackwell Park Children’s Playground. Children and their parents had obviously been anticipating the grand opening of this playground whose construction started on June 2013 by Monadnock Construction.
made the opening speech addressing the issues that gave birth to the project. This new location of the playground is really part of the original plans of the Southtown Development. “RIOC was instrumental in approving the project and working closely with Hudson/Related to assure that safety concerns from parents of the community were addressed” as stated by Erica Spencer-El, RIOC Director of Community Relations, in an email.
The brand new playground features equipment to suit a wide variety of children from 6 months to 8 years old. Addressing a previous issue of parents having to leave the Tot lot and walk to another playground in order for older children to play. There were no woodchips on site and the playground pavement was of rubber flooring, this floor is very safe for kids of all ages. There is enough space outside the playground for parents to leave their strollers and enough benches on site. Natural shades is also provided by the trees all around the playground enclosing it in a cocoon of shade and the warm breeze that only Roosevelt Island brings.
Fay addressed this new playground location as the“perfect spot” and I remember playing on these grounds as a kid and my favorite part of The Island is where the new playground is. Now that I think of it, I loved that place because of the breeze these trees bring on a hot summer day and I am glad that no tree was sacrificed in order to make the new playground.
The area is very peaceful to spend some play time with the young children in your family. Now, I just hope that all the safety concerns were really addressed and parents would feel much more relaxed as their children play in this new playground.
Roosevelt Island parent Susana del Campo Perea describes her experience at the new playground:
My daughter was eager to get into the playground since last Saturday. She even threw a fit to be let in, but of course Daddy didn't have the key to unlock the gate and we finally convinced her that Thursday, the Grand Opening, was around the corner. My 20 month old girl just wants to play in the new blue and yellow attraction.
So Thursday 9/19 arrives, and she is taking her nap late. We didn't make it to the formal inauguration. so? We still went later to enjoy the first day of the new tot-lot..... Mmmmhhh Pardon me, but the new playground is designed exclusively for children over 5 years old. Like all the rest of the EXISTENT ones in Roosevelt Island (RI)
We got to the gate of Blackwell Park around 6:00 pm 9/19. My daughter was a happy camper. We had to leave the stroller outside due to the large amount of persons (3/4 kids, 1/4 adults) inside the playground. My "diaper bag" (a Tram tote bag) hangs from my stroller with my apt keys, my wallet, my cell phone and the essentials that every parent needs to take care of a toddler, had to be left outside. There's so much I can do to help my daughter in the new playground, being 7 months pregnant and carrying the diaper bag at the same time.
There was a "balloon guy" inside the playground, doing all kind of balloon shapes for the kids. Of course, with a charge. The most popular things we saw, pirate spades.
My daughter lets go of my hand and runs towards the steps of the slide. Great. She had no issue climbing and she is very happy. All of a sudden, her smile change to grim. Older kids (between 8 -12) were running up and down the structure, pushing everyone they found on their way. My daughter is a casualty of this. These kids even stepped on a toddler's fingers. They don't even notice, they are to busy playing to be pirates. Of course, that's when mom steps in. I started telling every single kid old enough to behave and understand that pushes my daughter to be careful, that she is very young. So she is happy, nervous and smart enough not to let go of the handrail of the structure. So she is down the first slide: the spiral one. Success!!
She goes back up again and again and again. The only thing is that she is being Bullied by the older kids. They push her down the slide, they cut into her when she is about to go down the slide, they frightened her cause they are climbing the slide from the bottom up... several times. She can't take it anymore. She is hit by an older boy (around the age of 10) that decided to throw his Hot-wheels car from the bottom of the toboggan slide all the way up. She is upset, she doesn't know what happened, she didn't see it coming, mom didn't see it coming. I was too busy instructing the kids not to push her down the toboggan slide, neither cutting her turn when this metallic car hit her cheek!!! I grab the car and throw it away. Grab my kid the best way I could, cause this structure is not even parent accessible to be able to grab our kids in case of an accident. I have this baby bump, and it was very difficult to reach for my daugther.
As I am getting her away of the mayhem of the slides, near the 2 big chunk of plastic designed supposedly for 6-24 month old, I look around and as I count grown-ups (total of 12) I see that the swings are being used by teenagers (or very tall kids). The 4 swings are being use by older kids. They barely fit inside the ONLY TODDLER SWING in the whole Island. And then another 2 girls standing on top of the "special needs" toddler swing. And I noticed that the chains that support this one from the top rail are different and thinner than the other 3 swings.
My daughter tried the 2 blue structures for toddlers.
She can barely stand up on this things. They are crooked, they are rounded, incline to one side. She is investigating what this things are when the older kids start running around, chasing each other. She gets frightened. Too frightened from all the yelling and the giants coming after her again. She started crying and run towards the door, I am calmly waiting to see what is she trying to do. And then I panicked: THE DOOR IS OPEN! Some kids around 6-9 years old came inside the playground and left the door open (no adult coming before them or after them, they were ALONE)... My dauaghter is almost out when I reached out and was able to grab her hoodie. She is desperate to get out... is too much for her. Older Kids keep coming in and out, and they do not care about the gate being closed. So parents, like me trying to console my daughter, keep closing the gate more times that we can count. Finally, my daughter calms down and wants to try the slides again.
Here we go. I tell her: Don't let the older kids bully you. If you are pushed, tell NO NO to them and don't let go the handrail. So she is still being pushed and ran down by older kids. I keep thinking: weren't we supposed to get a REPLACEMENT for the TODDLER PLAYGROUND? WHY DID WE GET ANOTHER CHILDREN PLAYGROUND? We already have 5 in the island...
The tot-lot was the only playground with TODDLER slides and steps, and was easy accesible for parents to grab their kid in case on an accident or a sudden fit/tantrum. With this new structure it is totally unaccessible to ACT FAST!!!
So here's my daughter getting familiar with the structure when she suddenly peaks out from one of the top "holes".... "Oh No!! don't do it!! Keep walking!!" I yelled to her. She is all smiles trying to copy what OLDER kids do, she is gonna fall down. I can't climb to get her, I am PREGNANT. I raised my arms, DAMN I can only reach her shins, barely. My heart is accelerated. No parent around to help me, I can't keep the eyes on my daughter. It is too high. I am 5' 7" (1.70 m) and I can't reach her, I can't climb. What if she falls down cause her head is what weights more than the rest of her body (this is science not something I made up), what if an older kid playing pushes her and she falls down? Finally she decided to come down through the structure and the same way she went up. Daddy arrives, I am saved, my daughter is saved I can start breathing again.
Daddy keeps her on track on the slides and helps her avoiding the NOT Safe stairs with all this older kids running up and down. I am sitting down, just talking with the few grown ups that I already know.
All the dads and moms are telling me: what a waste! the tot-lot was perfect for our kids and in this new (playground) everything is too big for them, it is unsafe. They can't climb up by themselves and we have to deal with 10 yrs old bullying our kids. A long time resident, 17 yrs living in RI, with a 3 yr old girl is telling me: What is the point of having 2 playgrounds, almost identical, a few feet away of each other, meant for older kids. I don't want my 3 yr old playing with almost TEENAGERS and being push around by older kids. Their parents are not here, so they can do as they pleased.
Our excursion to the playground the day of the formal inauguration was between 6:00pm to 7:15pm
The next day, we went there again. With the older kids at school and close to naptime it will be better for my daughter. It was!! Her friends were there: 3 toddlers 3yrs old, a 17 month old girl and several other kids around her age (Well, I should say the usual crowd age of the OLD TOT LOT). They all are having a great time. Of course, all the moms and nannies are keeping a very close watch on how they climb the stairs and when they are in the top part with 2 big holes on both sides of the structure. We realize our kids are ok, but we started talking about how the younger kids have to be tough and either learn to play with gear meant for 5 yrs old at least or learn not to play at all in this playground or any other one.
So the comments and comparing and complaining about not having a TODDLER Playground when mom "B" tells me that the swing door is broken. You can't close it or open it. Finally a Dad comes to the playground and opens it for us all the way so the kids can't get injured with it and parents don't have to deal with it. Too bad, the spaces of the fence are too wide that a Toddler foot can get stuck there, in between the broken swing door.
So we keep complaining, and pointing out how wrong was Hudson Related, RIOC and the "parent's only heard voice" on allowing having this structure to REPLACE the TOT LOT. REPLACE is the most important word. REPLACE!! Not Change, Similar, Exchange, Alter, Modify. We needed a replace, switch, substitution of a TODDLER structure for another.
What are those blue and grey things in the middle of the play area? We are trying to find meaning to them. Finally it comes to me: Baby slides! (WTF) Yeah! Supposedly, to those round things that have a curve the baby stands and then the baby "walks" or crawls the 3 tiny steps (all crooked to one side and then to the other. If you put a marble it will slide to one of the lateral sides. This "steps" are awful!) until getting to the top round grey thing and from there slide down to the other.... This silly things make no sense. And there's little E, 17 months old, figuring out on her own as any other child in the world. She is trying to climb the structure and she fell down backwards. Tears! Her 2 brothers trying the swings. They are so high that they can't even sit down on them, so what they do: they bend over the swings and started swinging themselves. Clever!
Our friend arrives and our daughters want to go to the swings now.... So my daughter has to use the "special needs" swing. It is hard to open it, finally she's sitting down but not very happy. She wants to use the regular toddler swing, but it is being used and THERE'S ONLY ONE for the whole RI. I closed the "lid" of the swing and surprise!!! Her eyes are barely seen. this thing is TOO big for her and it even is as reclined as the ones in Central Park. She is sitting pretty nice and tall and straight. Aren't this swings supposed to be a little inclined so the "lid" could be close and open easily with the child inside??
Then we get an email from a parent of a baby with a video and picture: the screws are falling down the awkward blue structures and one is completely out and laying in the ground. I walk fast to this 2 awkward things, get on my knees and peek underneath them. As much as my body allows me to do. I got it!! The long screw (at least 8 inches long) with the round thin washer. Just there ready for any kid to grab it. My friend B and another dad were also kneeling down and we saw 5 more screws hanging down but we were unable to retrieve them....
Not even 24hrs open to the public and the playground is falling down to pieces...
I can go on and on and on, and I am not criticizing I am being objective. My kid is happy, to some point, in this playground.
I just received a call from my friend B saying that the park was crowded again by "hyper older kids". So to avoid another injury to my toddler daughter, we're staying away of that playground this afternoon. I don't want another bruised cheek or something worst.
Oh! I forgot to mention, the "fence" put in is so easily climbed over. Our kids feet fit just perfect to climb over. Who was the genious to select that kind of (cheap and unsafe) fence? Who decided such cheap piece of equipment to be installed? Who decided that toddlers were Ok in not having any slide age appropiate for them? The same voices that are telling the rest of the residents: we don't want to hear from you?
That's all I have for now. Hope it works and RiOC you are responsible for any injury in this faulty, unsafe, bad assembled playground.
I spoke to several parents at the playground this afternoon which, at the time, was not very crowded. They loved the new playground and did not think that there would be much of a problem with older kids intimidating younger children. Their attitude was that the children have to learn to get along with each other.
UPDATE 9:45 PM - Earlier today I asked Hudson Related and RIOC to comment on the concerns of Roosevelt Island parents regarding the new Blackwell Park playground. Have not received any answer from RIOC, but Hudson Related's Sarah Willard replied:
Opening:
· RIOC announced the opening and there were an unusual number of kids playing all at the same time. I will say that given the number of kids in a relatively small space, it was an amazingly positive event.
Items for repair:
· the latch (and the gate) on the handicap accessible gate to the swings was bent last week. It was picked up this morning and will have new reinforcements put in. Kids are hanging on the gate because it has a wide arc (for wheelchairs), so I asked the installer to stiffen the whole gate too assuming kids will hang on it. It will be reinstalled this week.
· The bolts in question we believe are two off of the gray base pad of the balancer (the small play equipment to help kids learn to balance). This does not affect safety or use but obviously will need to get replaced. The playground equipment installer, Cosetti, is coming tomorrow with bolts for all of the equipment and will a) replace the balancer missing bolts and b) confirm that all other equipment bolts are in and tight.
Age use:
· Our goal all along was to allow a full “arc of ages” (6 months to 8/9 years old) to play in the same playground so that 1) siblings could concurrently play and that 2) a toddler would not “age out” of the playground quickly. The next playground in Blackwell Park is nowhere within visual or physical proximity of this playground—a caregiver could not safely watch a 2- year-old and a 6-year-old playing in two separate playgrounds. Even on the large play apparatus, we dialed in play equipment for pre-toddler (at the ground level), toddlers and 2-5, including one of the two slides. I sent to the RI Parents Group the specs of the toddler and 2-5 play equipment and can do that again if parents would like the information.
· The tree perimeter defined how large the playground could be given that these were some of the most mature trees on the island to utilize their shade; we could not tear down trees to build the tot lot. Given the site constraints, we could only have one large play apparatus (for multiple ages) and a few smaller play devices, all with their prescribed fall zones.
· It is not unusual to have children of mixed ages playing in the same park. I see this all the time where elementary school kids and toddlers are in the same City Park—often they are siblings.
· RIOC and I are working on a donated used toddler toy program at the park (push toys, balls, play cars, etc) like they have at Bleecker Park in the Village. New toys unfortunately get stolen, but donated old toys are a community-building, it-takes-a-village way of kids learning how to share at an early age. These toys would be almost entirely for use by the toddlers (a 4 year old would not need a push toy to learn to walk).
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.
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