Today sets a record as the Southpoint Rock Farm, toured by our friend, The Space Cadet, finds a whole new outburst of RIOC folly. The record? Two reported incidents of Dumb & Dumber on the same day.
By David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
Southpoint Rock Farm Warnings
A little over a week ago, RIOC took down fences blocking access to its new Southpoint Rock Farm. The area was previously known as “Brooklyn Bridge Park North,” but its alleged model screamed “No” upon seeing the results.
“They just threw a pile of rocks in there,” Brooklyn Bridge Park complained. “Any idiot could’ve done that.”
When it opened in 2011, it was simply Southpoint, a retreat planned by and built for residents, but then RIOC spent a decade getting dumb and dumber.
Safety first?
Shortly after the opening, actually well before, observers cried foul. The garden of stone, interrupted in spotty fashion by things that grow and have color, was also a garden of hazards. Harsh-edged rocks everywhere invited injury from the slightest fall, and what looked like they were supposed to be guardrails were so low a toddler could trip over them.
RIOC had no choice, rousted from its slumber, but to answer with a swift response. Note: “Swift” does not imply smart or anything like it.
Yesterday, our intrepid friend, The Space Cadet, spotted RIOC’s klutzy effort at protecting residents against the countless hazards introduced in this project.
“RIOC continues to look out for the welfare of Islanders and visitors,” the Space Cadet observed. “Anyone who falls off the rocks and into the water will be admonished for not reading the signs.”
But enforcing what?
DO NOT CLIMB ON ROCKS, the spellbinding signs wrapped haphazardly around poles demand. But it’s unclear what rocks are indicated as this warning isn’t near the new Southpoint Rock Farm. It’s adjacent to the sturdy fencing created out of stones from a demolished City Hospital. Kids have climbed on those for a decade.
But can you run, walk, fish or crawl on them? All we know for sure is that “VIOLATORS WILL BE SUMMONED.” Like, so what?
There is no law whatsoever against walking along any East River shoreline. It’s a false threat, like so many others piled up by RIOC while failing to enforce real laws. Being “summoned” simply means being commanded to show up somewhere, and RIOC can’t force you. For what? And where? Are the grand patroons of Roosevelt Island going to haul you into some court that punishes people for legal activities?
Isn’t being stuck with the Southpoint Rock Farm, paying for it, punishment enough?
Also from the Roosevelt Island Daily
- What’s New Across Western Queens: Safety, Community, and Spring at Our DoorstepExplore what’s new across Western Queens this week, including safety updates, casino developments, real estate, and local dining—news that shapes Roosevelt Island life.
- A Full Week Across the River: How Roosevelt Island and Queens Lives IntersectA full week across the river shows how life on Roosevelt Island connects with Queens—covering public safety, legal updates, G train disruptions, and neighborhood events.
- Roosevelt Island Weekly Recap: Community Life, Local News, and Everyday ConnectionsOur Roosevelt Island weekly recap covers local news, community events, and the threads of daily life connecting neighbors on and off the island.
- Queens News Highlights and Roosevelt Island Community ConnectionsExplore the week’s Queens news highlights and Roosevelt Island community connections, from public safety to housing, historic places, and local events.
- How Queens News Shapes Life on Roosevelt Island This WeekExplore how Queens news shapes life on Roosevelt Island, from major fire responses to local court cases and housing initiatives, reflecting the rhythms and routines of our shared city life.
I Take the Tram Because I Have To
There are people on this Island you learn to recognize long before you ever learn their names. Like the real estate man with the blue goatee, the one whose name I keep forgetting, though I could pick him out of a lineup any time of day.
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