NYCkayaker City Hall Friday, Randall's Island shores

[Harry J. Bubbins]

Protect our shores and access areas!

Join East Harlem Preservation, Friends of Brook Park, Council Member Melissa
Mark Viverito, Chair Helen Foster and more
 at the 
City Council Parks & Recreation
Committee Hearing on the Proposed Randalls Island Waterpark Ball Fields
Franchise

Date: Friday, November 3rd, 10:00 AM

Location: Committee Room - City Hall
R
Details: Oversight - The Proposed Agreement Between the Parks Department and
Private Schools for the Destroyed shorelines by the water theme park and the
proposed Exclusive Use of the Fields on Randall's Island. If
you are interested in testifying and getting on the witness list, contact
Councilwoman Melissa Mark Viverito at (212) 828-9800  or
viverito@council.nyc.ny.us.

If you cannot attend but would like to voice and
opinion, please forward us your testimony by email so we may present it to
the Committee on Friday.

Below from:

East Harlem Preservation <eastharlempreservation@verizon.net>
Randalls Island Sports Foundation: Stop Dodging the Truth!


 
 
* RISF says the Aquatic Development Group withdrew its bid for IDA bonds
because it had secured private funding. When asked to name those funding
sources, however, RISF admits that ADG is still in the process of acquiring
investors. 
* RISF claims there is no alternative to the proposed 30-year ball fields
franchise that will exclusively benefit private schools, and no possibility
of negotiating with the Department of Education to include surrounding
public schools. 
* RISF says there is no possibility that the private schools in question
could obtain similarly exclusive access to alternative sites such as Central
Park since ³the Parks Department would never allow that to happen,² and
finds no fault with their contrary policy towards Randalls Island.
* RISF insists that recent media criticism of the Water Park deal and the
ball fields franchise was ³biased Š lies,² yet refuses to demand retractions
or provide any proof of such claims.
* RISF has promised to stop holding private parties on the island, and to
stop preventing pedestrian access to the island during such private events
by raising the pedestrian footbridge and by installing a large police
presence at all points. We would like to have this promise in writing.
* RISF is working with Con Edison to build a substation on the island but
has yet to disclose this information to surrounding communities.
* RISF dismisses all claims of environmental threats posed by the
development of the Water Park and Con Edison substation as ³nonsense.²
* RISF does not provide financial updates/reports on any of its development
projects to the general public.
* RISF does not post its annual report or any financial data on
concert/stadium event revenue on its website.
* RISF has no local representation on its Board, nor any local staff or
office in East Harlem.
* RISF does not publicize meetings of the Randalls Island Community Advisory
Board (an invitation-only group of local organizations limited to 20 members
selected by RISF). Likewise, minutes of those meetings have not been made
available to the general public.
* RISF refuses to let the general public attend its board meetings, yet
insists on meeting with boards of local agencies and organizations.
* RISF supports a ³NIMBY² approach at the Community Board level for the
eventual removal of existent homeless shelters and mental health facilities
on Randalls Island so as to ³provide even more park space for local kids.²
* RISF does a great disservice to the historical contributions of local
minority and blue-collar groups to the betterment of Randalls and Wards
Island by ignoring the need and concerns of those constituent groups.
* RISF wrongfully hinted that today¹s City Council Parks Committee meeting
would most likely be postponed so as to limit attendance.
* RISF has suggested that East Harlem Preservation is detrimental to the
development of Randalls Island, and contrary to the majority opinion in East
Harlem. Yet another bold lie!
 


Try viewing the world as with you and your efforts.

http://friendsofbrookpark.org

Harry J. Bubbins
http://www.friendsofbrookpark.org
646.206.5288