January 11, 2006
Water Park for Randall's Island
No longer will children have to go to Hurricane Harbor or Dorney Park because the Daily News reports that the city has a proposal in hand for a $168 million, 26 acre water park on Randall's Island in the East River. The park, originally proposed in as a smaller 12 acre park in 1999, would be paid for by Aquatic Development Group, who would have a 35-year lease with the city. The park plans call for all your typical water park features like wave pools and water slides but also a manmade river for rafters and an indoor beach.
The proposal is under review by the Franchise and Concession Review Committee today and is opposed by Controller William Thompson, who has a seat on the FCRC and by Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer (he's no Marty), but Mayor Bloomberg is reported to have enough support to approve the park. Admission to the park, which could open as soon as summer of 2007, would be $25 for kids and $30 for adults. Gothamist found that according to the Randall's Island Sports Foundation website, the park was originally supposed to open this year - which means our excitment over it in 2003 will have to persist for another two years.
While no name has been selected yet for the proposed park, Gothamist thinks a fitting name might be Hell's Gate Water Park. Then again, that might not go over too well with the kiddies. But we wouldn't think the mental hospital and sewage plant on the adjacent Ward's Island would go over too well either.
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In related news, New York City to open 26-acre public toilet on Randall's Island.
"Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer (he's no Marty)"
Lucky Manhattan. Marty's a clown.
An indoor beach... how positively metallic...
This thing should have one of the best surf parks in the world. Have been following it for a while and while it will be pricey, it certainly will put in NYC on the world surf map.
Will access to the island be improved? Buses to the island are really inadequate and the pedestrian bridge is often raised, so the only convenient way of getting there is via car. Given the access issues and high entrance fees this seems like a park for wealthy suburbanites not city residents.
This gem from the Daily News article "1,800 new parking spots" which when translated means, "public transit riders need not come, unless you have a car." Is the added traffic worth it? Is the loss of park space worth it? No. It is one of the more stupid proposals out there.
If they do build it, have a clause in the contract saying that public school children on trips can get in free.
Here is another example of an unfortunate project in the wrong place without it seems sufficient community empowerment to significantly ameliorate the horrendous ramifications of yet another example of alienated Park land. The slippery slope of supposedly beneficial projects that require forsaking open space and parkland continues to grow, if the proposed Yankee Stadium plan wasn’t enough. In this csae there isn’t a neighborhood of residents on the site to organize. This has been a predictable outcome of isolating Randall’s Island. There are agreements in which the NYSDOT which leases the Harlem River Rail Yards in the South, South Bronx, are to ensure that the leasee, the Galesi Group, are supposed to implement the NYC Greenway Plan and construct a brduge to Randall’s Island. Needless to say, it hasn’t happened, yet. In addition, the East Harlem Pedestrian/Bike Bridge is closed much of the year, further isolating the increasingly privated Randall’s Island from a local constituency, notwithstanding the periodically bused in students that are often touted as evidence of community involvement. These and other factors have spurred the South Bronx Greenway initiative of a wide variety of stakehilders to access randall’s Island by way of the exisitng Amtrak Viaduct, a project that could be easily implemented if the Mayor’s team would make it a priority. We would much rather see a committment to greater accessibility to this precious greenspace for people of color and poor communites adjacent to Randall’s Island, and all New Yorkers, than the Icahn Stadium, the parkinglot for Cirque d’ Soleil, the closed off tip of Ward’s Island in the summer and the other privitatzation schemes that prohibit community access and are continuing to degrade the natural environment of a still beautiful natural retreat. , PLEASE HELP STOP THE PRIVITATZATION OF RANDALL’S ISLAND!!!
and let me add that there are numerous local priorities for waterfront access and green space on the Harlem and east Rivers that would allow NYers to really ply the rivers and experience the shore and the natural life with minimal investment. We welcome communications to identify and partner with appropriate city agencies like NYCEDC and others to achieve equity in the South Bronx and reap a great return on our taxpayer investments in imporved education, reduced crime and greater sustainable economic development.
Here is another example of an unfortunate project in the wrong place without it seems sufficient community empowerment to significantly ameliorate the horrendous ramifications of yet another example of alienated Park land. The slippery slope of supposedly beneficial projects that require forsaking open space and parkland continues to grow, if the proposed Yankee Stadium plan wasn’t enough. In this csae there isn’t a neighborhood of residents on the site to organize. This has been a predictable outcome of isolating Randall’s Island. There are agreements in which the NYSDOT which leases the Harlem River Rail Yards in the South, South Bronx, are to ensure that the leasee, the Galesi Group, are supposed to implement the NYC Greenway Plan and construct a brduge to Randall’s Island. Needless to say, it hasn’t happened, yet. In addition, the East Harlem Pedestrian/Bike Bridge is closed much of the year, further isolating the increasingly privated Randall’s Island from a local constituency, notwithstanding the periodically bused in students that are often touted as evidence of community involvement. These and other factors have spurred the South Bronx Greenway initiative of a wide variety of stakehilders to access randall’s Island by way of the exisitng Amtrak Viaduct, a project that could be easily implemented if the Mayor’s team would make it a priority. We would much rather see a committment to greater accessibility to this precious greenspace for people of color and poor communites adjacent to Randall’s Island, and all New Yorkers, than the Icahn Stadium, the parkinglot for Cirque d’ Soleil, the closed off tip of Ward’s Island in the summer and the other privitatzation schemes that prohibit community access and are continuing to degrade the natural environment of a still beautiful natural retreat. , PLEASE HELP STOP THE PRIVITATZATION OF RANDALL’S ISLAND!!!
and let me add that there are numerous local priorities for waterfront access and green space on the Harlem and east Rivers that would allow NYers to really ply the rivers and experience the shore and the natural life with minimal investment. We welcome communications to identify and partner with appropriate city agencies like NYCEDC and others to achieve equity in the South Bronx and reap a great return on our taxpayer investments in imporved education, reduced crime and greater sustainable economic development.
The one thing missing from all the press on this park is the immediate future on the island. Will there be concerts on Randall's Island in 2006? Dave Matthews Band is rumored to be returning there in August, and I want to find out if its true or not.
Push the waterpark into the brink....
Determination is by 2007.
Weblink
http://www.dec.ny.gov/about/407.html
Email Commissioner Grannis
The Commissioner and staff would like to hear from you. Please cut and paste the below text:
This letter pertains to the proposal 2-6203-00040/00010 by the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation with the Randall's Island Sports Foundation and the Aquatic Development Group to develop a private beach and corporate water theme park on 26 acres of public park land, some of which is regulated by your agency.
I understand that an initial determination by your agency has evaluated the permit application as incomplete. It has been almost a year since that time and I believe a final rejection of this application is appropriate. Reject this permit already.
The private beach club will encroach upon public recreational space that includes important wildlife and wetland habitat that should not be disturbed. Your agency correctly rejected the development of a roadway along the Bronx Kill and Harlem River as was originally indicated in the project scope.
In addition, your agency should reject outright the requested variance to the maximum allowed 15% impervious surface in the catchment area. The project's 50% impervious surface area, in light of the valuable habitat and recent disasters associated with our overburdened infrastructure's response to torrential rains, make this kind of variance dangerous. Has there ever been such a variance? And, if so, when and for what?
Finally, I want to convey my disappointment that your Environmental Justice regulations and public hearings guidelines were not initiated pertaining to this project. How can we work together to expand the State regulations that trigger this important public review protection process to include more natural resource permits?
Thank you for your efforts regarding Urban Wetlands and Littoral Habitat Restoration and Protection Efforts in New York Harbor. I look forward to your written reply.