In case you were wondering what the City was doing to the site along the East River as you passed it from above during your morning Tram ride from Roosevelt Island into Manhattan...
It would be cool if they got the Roller Coaster running again. But then again I don't know if the dogs would enjoy the ride.
FYI, the park currently at the bottom of the above picture is a dog park which sits at the site of a former heliport. I have no info regarding the artist that designed the "roller coaster' structure that sits on top of the dog park. [The above picture is by "raynach" and can be found on Flickr HERE.]
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that's not a roller coaster. i think it was supposed to evoke the heliport which used to be there. or travel. or money going up the chute on bad modern art. or something.the artist's name is on a plaque but you have to scrape the dogdoo off of it to see it.
ReplyDeletethe new park is supposed to be a new dog park, or at least is mostly dedicated to dog runs. iirc, there was some debate about the whole little dog / big dog only debate which delayed the work. if you go to the pavilion, be aware of two things: when you walk up the ramp, keep a sharp eye out - almost as much dog crap on the ground as the octagon park. and because the fdr is right below, it is LOUD. not very relaxing, but a nice view.
Craig. I was joking re the roller coaster. Although that is what I always think of when I see it. So if the new park is to be for dogs (or open for them) is the current park going to stay open or be closed?
ReplyDeletei wasn't sure about the joke - that's what every person on the tram has called it... i used to think it WAS the heliport, and you had to climb up those steps to get on (a la the fall of saigon)!
ReplyDeletei think they do intend to close the dog park up on top of the old garbage transfer station - good, as it is not the nicest place for people OR dogs. i once heard two older ladies on 60th discussing the new park; they were betting either they or their dogs would be dead before it opened. i guess the big/little play area argument delayed it 2 or 3 years.
i hope the new dog park has a higher fence, and no other dogs go for an accidental swim.
The sculpture is by noted artist, Alice Aycock. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Aycock
ReplyDeletePer the below website link the work is formally titled the "East River Roundabout". Ms. Aycock is a faculty member of the School for Visual Arts here in NYC and also sits on the Art Comission of the City of New York.
ReplyDeletehttp://ira.usf.edu/PA/Pages/pa_aycock.html
http://www.nyc.gov/html/artcom/html/about/a_aycock.shtml
For more pictures of the scultpture go to the following Bridge & Tunnel Club web page:
http://www.bridgeandtunnelclub.com/bigmap/manhattan/ues/roundabout/index.htm