CB3 hears East River Park injury and closure update
A construction briefing brought news of a serious worker injury under investigation, more work inside East River Park, and overnight FDR closures for floodgate testing.
Two hosts walk through the week’s edition in conversation — east river park update includes injury,, capital funding request, and what’s coming next. Generated by Aware, from this week’s verified summaries.
The park update mixed construction progress with disruption: an injury investigation, more work in East River Park, and new overnight FDR closures tied to floodgate testing.
East River Park remains a worksite and a neighborhood concern. At Manhattan CB3's Parks, Recreation, Waterfront & Resiliency Committee, DDC and its contractor said East Side Coastal Resiliency construction is continuing in and around the park. Their update included a serious worker injury that is now under investigation. They also said more work is underway in East River Park and that drivers should expect overnight FDR closures for floodgate testing.
That construction report shared the agenda with a different kind of complaint. A public speaker told the committee that parts of East River Park are seeing overnight sleeping, dog washing, and lawn damage during the park's closure period. The comments focused less on the flood project itself than on what is happening inside a park residents cannot fully use while the work continues.
The committee did not take a vote on the update. The immediate next step is practical: more construction, and overnight closures tied to testing the floodgates. The broader question for residents is how the park is being managed while access is limited and the project continues. That leaves two tracks to watch in the weeks ahead — the investigation into the worker injury, and whether the concerns raised about conditions in the closed park draw a response from city agencies.
Capital Funding Request: Comprehensive Renovation of Coleman Playground and Related Safety/Infrastructure Needs
A neighborhood representative asked CB3 to put Coleman Playground at the top of its capital list. Speaking for local organizations, the speaker said the playground needs a full renovation, not a patch, and described it as the main outdoor space used by a local Head Start program since the late 1990s.
The request was broad and specific. The speaker said the playground is structurally unsafe, the equipment is outdated and filthy, and the site lacks modern sensory equipment. They called for a complete redesign, new equipment, and a dedicated basketball court, then tied that request to lighting, surveillance, Monday morning DSNY cleanups, repairs to a bridge underpass and baseball field fence, traffic-calming measures, crosswalks, drain and sidewalk work, and air quality monitoring.
The speaker added one more school-related ask: funding to finish work at PS 126 Jacob Riis School so scaffolding can come down after many years. Meeting leadership said some issues, including drug use, could be taken up through constituent services. The larger funding request, though, was clear: start with Coleman Playground and build the surrounding safety fixes around it.
Speakers press park safety at Seward, SDR
Public speakers and the Parks Manager said safety and maintenance problems continue in Seward Park and Sara D. Roosevelt Park. They pointed to drug activity, needles, homelessness-related concerns, enforcement needs, and tree hazards, while the manager said NYPD presence and park conditions were being monitored.
Park conditions affect daily safety, sanitation, and whether families can comfortably use nearby public spaces.
BMCR work brings closures and progress report
DDC told CB3 that BMCR construction is advancing, with sewer work bringing intermittent daytime closures near Rutgers Slip South and Cherry. The agency said flip-up gates are 80% installed and the concrete flood wall is 75% complete, while a committee member raised concerns about vibration, air monitoring, signage, and pedestrian safety.
BMCR update included floodwall progress and intermittent daytime Rutgers Slip South and Cherry closures for sewer work.
Residents ask CB3 to back traffic cameras
Two public comments urged the board to support red-light or speed cameras at local intersections. One focused on Third Avenue and Fifth Street, while another asked for a broader CB3 resolution and said camera enforcement could bring in ticket revenue.
Camera approvals could affect pedestrian safety and future enforcement at intersections residents say are dangerous.
Dog Parade planners outline October event changes
The founder of the New York Dog Parade said the October 17 Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade will use registration, a route on Avenue B, and a controlled costume contest inside the park. Organizers are seeking volunteers and business partners, and the Parks Manager asked to discuss logistics the following week.
Planning update announced the October 17 Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade route and registration.
- Manhattan CB3 Parks, Recreation, Waterfront & Resiliency Committee. A public speaker reported that East River Park fences are supposed to close at 1:00 a.m. but people were sleeping overnight in the amphitheater and near children’s areas, and raised concerns about dog washing and sports teams damaging lawns without enforcement.
- Manhattan CB3 Parks, Recreation, Waterfront & Resiliency Committee. A public speaker thanked Parks for responsiveness but raised ongoing concerns about homelessness and drug activity in Sara D. Roosevelt Park, requested more PEP presence, reported dead/dying trees and falling branches, and urged attention to broader homelessness solutions.
- Manhattan CB3 Parks, Recreation, Waterfront & Resiliency Committee. A public speaker affiliated with the Seward Park Conservancy described drug dealing, drug use, needles, and violence in Seward Park and requested a visible public safety presence and coordination with appropriate agencies, including support for homeless individuals in the park.
What we didn’t fit in this Sundays edition
Manhattan Cb3 had 1 more items this week. Here are sixfour — the rest are on Aware.
- GOVERNANCEBoard explains how budget priorities are set. The district manager outlined the community board's annual capital and expense budget process and how public requests move through committees. In a follow-up exchange, staff explained that projects are screened for feasibility and can take years before the board votes to support funding.
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