Team RIOC Is Missing. Organize the Search Party Right Away

At noon on November 9th, one month ago, a RIOC Advisory said, “Please be advised that there was a water main break affecting the water access to the Lighthouse Comfort Station’s restrooms and the North Dog Run’s water fountain. Team RIOC will be working around the clock to have the water restored.” But there were graver concerns by now.

by David Stone

The Roosevelt Island News

It was troubling at first because no one had ever heard of “Team RIOC” before. How did they differ from the fumbling, bumbling, insufferable state agency we already struggled with?

This was never explained, but we were happy that someone was right on it, “working around the clock.”

As time passed, though, we grew more concerned.

Until the break got fixed, “… the water fountain and restrooms will be closed to the public. Updates will be shared as received via email and posted on social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.”

A month passed, and there were no email updates. From Halloween until the tree-lighting last week, RIOC’s Facebook Page shared not a word with the state agency’s massive 30-person following.

Clearly, it was time for some searching.

Had Team RIOC been forgotten, left to fend for itself in muddly fields of the long-promised but never developed extension of Lighthouse Park?

We zeroed in on one area, a muddy patch with a pair of plywood squares covering the ground. Is this where the team was working around the clock to have the water restored?

I was a little embarrassed, but since no one was looking, I tapped gently on the plywood cover… No answer.

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Where, oh where was Team RIOC?

Further confounding my mission of mercy, I then confirmed that the Comfort Station waters had, in fact, been restored.

I looked around. The team could not have kept “working around the clock” because the job was done.

But they never returned.

Please keep your eyes out for the missing Team RIOC. We can’t tell you what they look like or even what their names are, but they must be hungry by now.

Although it’s comforting to know they do have some water.

davidstone1313

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