RIOC calls it, “…renovating the open space and garden adjacent to the R.I. branch of the NYPL,” but really, it’s paving over history. Unless paving over open space qualifies as “improvement.”
By David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
Observing the destruction, Roosevelt Island Historical Society (RIHS) president Judith Berdy mused… “The play area in Blackwell Park was demolished today. By current standards a playground built with wooden boulders, bricks, metal slides and metal climbing device is so unsafe it had to be removed.
“A bulldozer made waste of the area this morning.
“The site will be paved over and left to the open since RIOC canceled the reading and sitting area that would adjoin the new library.
“It is a pity RIOC cared not for an improved area and just chose the easy solution, a bulldozer.”
Paving Over History
Yes, after liberally spilling cash on projects of little benefit to residents, RIOC says they don’t have enough left for a real renovation. No matter what their Orwellian alert says.
We will not have a reading and sitting area, but RIOC will have… refurbished offices, free parking and bloated, ineffective staffing.
More from the Roosevelt Island Daily News
- How Citywide Events Ripple Through Daily Life on Roosevelt IslandHow citywide events ripple through daily life on Roosevelt Island: local news on health, transit, and education highlights the subtle connections shaping our routines.
- From an Upper East Side Legionnaires Outbreak to Queens FestivalsAn Upper East Side Legionnaires outbreak, Queens safety cases, specialized high school admissions, robotaxi concerns, and nearby festivals shape this week’s headlines.
- From US-Iran tensions to Ridgewood preservationHow global events touch daily life on Roosevelt Island: international headlines meet local routines, preserving community balance and neighborhood identity.
- Legionnaires response, Queens bus upgrades, and NYCHA fundingExplore the steady rhythms of Roosevelt Island as city life blends with local routines, from public safety to community gatherings. Discover how behind-the-scenes work supports our daily pulse.
- Upper East Side Legionnaires cluster and Queensbridge NYCHA fundingCatch the latest neighborhood news updates from Roosevelt Island and across the river, including public safety, health alerts in the Upper East Side, new funding for NYCHA Queensbridge, transit upgrades, and community events.
The Women Who Held the Ground
The recording arrived before RIOC posted it. On this island, that usually means they’ll release it when they’re confident nobody still cares. ArchRI simply made a copy available, the way people here tend to do once they’ve stopped waiting for institutions to keep their word. It was the first meeting of what is now meant to be a monthly community advisory group (CAG).
1 COMMENTS