Update: Status of Former "Castle" Playground Site

The following response was received in regard to my recent inquiry about the former Roosevelt Island playground:

To: RooseveltIsland360@gmail.com
Date: Wed, Jul 30, 2008 at 11:17 AM
Subject: Former "Castle" Playground

Eric,

For the past 8 months or so RIOC was working with Island Kids and KaBoom on developing a new playground for the site. KaBoom is anational non-profit organization whose mission is to identify potential playground sites and marry localities with corporate sponsors for the construction of playgrounds. The Blackwell Playground was selected as asite.

The site was prepped for a new playground by RIOC maintenance and grounds staff, and the installation for a new playground was scheduled for early June. However, at the eleventh hour the corporate sponsor backed out. We do not know who the sponsor was or their reason for backing out. KaBoom has made attempts to identify a new corporate sponsor, but RIOC has decided to proceed with the installation of a new playground without the assistance of any third party sponsorship.

A retaining wall was recently installed, and we hope to start work on a new playground by early Fall 2008.

Fernando Martinez
Vice President for Operations
Roosevelt Island Operating Corp.

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Prior to the old "Castle" playground a wooden playground configuration sat at the same site: