Governors Island Blog

July 2009
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RECESS

Posted on July 10, 2009 by Christopher

Recess is coming to Governors Island this Saturday for intense badminton competitions. This is the first of a series of events that will happen this summer. The other two Recess days will be August 22nd with table tennis and September 26th with bocce. There is a lot to look forward to. The event will take place in Colonels Row. You can register between 11:00AM and 12:00PM, and the games run from 12:00PM to 6:00PM. So grab a birdie and come out to play!

Colonels Row

This is what the Josh Spear had to say about the event:

There are plenty in the creative arena who scoff at the idea of sport, likening athletic competition as entertainment for uncivilized mongrels. However, when the chasm between brute force and artistic inspiration is bridged, some wonderful things can occur. The Lawn Series from Recess is a refreshing and original happening aiming to eliminate the gap between endlessly inventive artisans and the arena of athletics. For three glorious days during the sweltering NYC summer on Governor’s Island, playful pastimes will overtake the creatively inclined as they attempt to best one another in exhilarating events such as badminton, table tennis, and bocce. In addition to the flowing of the competitive juices, each event will be met with some pretty kick ass sponsors as the likes of Tretorn and Puma will be putting their stamp on the festivities while Biomega and Kronan will be on hand to offer bike test rides. Count us in and bring it on. The first day of competition is June 20th. We’ll see you there…unless you’re afraid of defeat.

Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: Badminton, Bocce, Colonels Row, governors island, Josh Spear, Puma, Recess, Tretorn | Leave a Comment »

WaterPod

Posted on July 10, 2009 by Christopher

The WaterPod has just moved to our own Yankee Pier on Governors Island. Today, harpist Elissa Weiss will play at 3:00, and tomorrow join the WaterPod for yoga classes (please bring your own materials). Yoga runs from 10:45 until noon. And why not bring your bike and a picnic lunch as well so that after the class you can have fun exploring Governors Island and picnic in its many grassy areas. On Sunday Mara Haseltine will be giving a lecture on oysters in New York harbor. If you can’t make it out this weekend, check out their summer schedule.

The WaterPod project is really quite amazing. Here is what Mary Mattingly has to say about it on their website:

The Waterpod demonstrates future pathways for nomadic, mobile shelters and water-based communities, docked and roaming.

It embodies self-sufficiency and resourcefulness, learning and curiosity, human expression and creative exploration. It intends to prepare, inform, and provide an alternative to current and future living spaces.

In preparation for our coming world with an increase in population, a decrease in usable land, and a greater flux in environmental conditions, people will need to rely closely on immediate communities and look for alternative living models; the Waterpod is about cooperation, collaboration, augmentation, and metamorphosis.

As a malleable and autonomous space, the Waterpod is built on a model comprised of multiple collaborations. The Waterpod functions as a singular unit with the possibility to expand into ever-evolving water communities; an archipelagos that has the ability to mutate with the tides.

The Waterpod is mobile and nomadic, and as an application for the future it can historicize the notionof the permanent structure, simultaneously serving as composition, transportation, island, and residence. Based on movement, the Waterpod structure is adaptable, flexible, self-sufficient, and relocatable, responsive to its immediate and shifting environment.

As with art, architecture is largely about stories: stories of its inhabitants, its community, its makers and their reflections on the past or expectations of the future. The Waterpod is an extension of body, of home, and of community, its only permanence being change, flow, and multiplicity. It connects river to visitor, global to local, nature to city, and historic to futuristic ecologies.

With this project, we hope to encourage innovation as we visualize the future fifty to one hundred years from now.

Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: Governors Island Elissa Weiss, Mara Haseltine, Mary Mattingly, oysers, sustainablility, Water Pod, WaterPod, yoga | Leave a Comment »

Kites, Chalk and Parachutes

Posted on July 10, 2009 by Christopher

Flickr - chalk in motion

Bring your kids down to Picnic Point this afternoon for a day of fun in the sun. Manhattan Youth will be teaching kids the art of flying a kite. The stellar views and constant breeze are sure to make for some fancy flying. And if kites aren’t your thing, then pick up a stick of multi-colored chalk and practice your drawing skills! There will be chalk provided and tons of pavement to use as a canvas. After flying kites and drawing in chalk it will be time to play some parachute games. Everyone will stand in a circle waving a parachute up and down. There is more to this game, but you’ll have to come out here to find out!

So if you’re looking for a fun Friday activity, why not come out to Governors Island?

Filed under: Announcements, Art on the Island, Upcoming Events | Tagged: art, Chalk, Downtown Day Camp, governors island, Kites, Manhattan Youth, Parachute Games, picnic point | Leave a Comment »

One for the Record Books

Posted on July 8, 2009 by Ellen

: Running from the ferry to grab a free bike from Bike and Bike and Roll

Wowzers! Bike and Roll™, this year’s sponsor of Free Bike Fridays, put more than 900 people on bikes for FREE this past Friday! This was our busiest Friday yet. Every Friday between June 5 and October 9, visitors can borrow a bike for free, for up to one hour. After the first hour, regular rental rates apply. More than 200 bikes are available for the program this year- including kids’ bikes with training wheels and baby seats and carriers.

Some people take their free bikes pretty seriously, finding the right position on the ferry and sprinting from the dock down Carder Road to be the first in line for a free bike. It’s no running of the bulls, but the “running of the bikes” became become a regular spectacle of last year’s Free Bike Fridays. This year, with 200 bikes available, there’s no need to run for your bike.

Still, we’ve come up with a new strategy. We’re calling it the “Water Taxi Beach wait.” If you stop at the new Water Taxi Beach for an ice cream before you go for your bike, you’ll avoid the crowd of people who make a bee-line for the bikes. . .

Filed under: Bikes, Weekend Report | Tagged: Bike and Roll, Bikes, Free Bike Friday, governors island, Water Taxi Beach | Leave a Comment »

Governors Island makes national news

Posted on July 7, 2009 by Christopher

This past Friday, Governors Island was host to a Fox New broadcast by Martha MacCallum! Martha interviewed Leslie Koch, President of GIPEC. It was very exciting to have images of Governors Island broadcast across the country. The scene was shot from Picnic Point which was chosen for its unbelievable views of the Statue of Liberty and the New York Harbor. Click HERE to view the video. Why don’t you come down to picnic point yourself just to see how incredible the scenery is! And while your down here, you might as well picnic, lie in a hammock or lounge in an Adirondack chair.

Filed under: Media | Tagged: Adirondack chair, Fox News, GIPEC, governors island, hammock, Martha MacCallum, New York Harbor, picnic point, Statue of Liberty | 1 Comment »

The Stunning Views, Intriguing Art and Picnic Spots of Governors Island in New York Mag

Posted on July 3, 2009 by Ellen

From New York Magazine

Todays New York Magazine features a fantastic article about Governors Island. Make sure to check out the map, showing where to “bike, climb, and snack.” There’s an almost overwhelming number of things to see and do on our tiny island, but the highlight of the article for this blogger is is the revelation that along with Water Taxi Beach comes Blue Marble Ice Cream. Summer is now here.

Governors Island Summer Map. From New York Magazine

Meanwhile, the New York Times today has an article about the city’s waterfront concerts that includes news of the new concert venue at Water Taxi Beach Governors Island:

“. . . the view is one of the most awesome in the city, with the towers of Lower Manhattan shooting into the sky just a few thousand feet away and the full expanse of New York Harbor all around.”

“The Beach” opens on July 11 with Darkstar Orchestra, but Water Taxi Beach in all of its 300 tons of sandy, snacky glory, will have its soft opening tomorrow, July 4th.

Preparing Water Taxi Beach (From The New York Times/Ozier Muhammad)

Filed under: Media, What's New? | Leave a Comment »

Contain Yourselves — NOW OPEN!

Posted on July 2, 2009 by Christopher

picnic point containers 001

Back in January we bloggedabout containers, designed by LOT-EK, that Governors Island aquired through the generosity of the Bohen Foundation. The containers will be available for use this weekend. So come out to picnic and check out these innovative spaces. They look right out onto the Statue of Liberty. What better way can you think of to spend Independence Day than with free views of the Statue picnicking in your very own ‘industrial cabana,’ relaxing on a hammock, sitting on an Adirondack chair, or just laying out in the sun on the grass.

And while you’re out on Governors Island, participate in the Children’s Museum of the Arts “Free Art Island Outpost” for artist lead workshops in painting, drawing, sculpture and much more. This week’s theme is “Red, White and Blue!” For more fabulous things to do on Governors Island check out our listings.

Filed under: Announcements | Tagged: 4th of July, Bohen Foundation, Childrens Museum of the Arts, CMA, Fourth of July, Free Art Island Outpost, governors island, Independence Day, Lo-Tech, new york harbor views, Statue of Liberty | 1 Comment »

Bike Tour

Posted on July 2, 2009 by Christopher

Check out this bike route a Governors Island fan has created. This shows and excellent tour of the Island that is sure to be very fun. To add on to this blogger’s trail, you should also bike through Colonels Row and check out the beautiful brick houses that line Hay Road (map).

These houses were built after the Civil War on what was the original shoreline of Governors Island (everything south of Hay Road was landfill. The dirt came from the excavation for the 4, 5 and 6 subway line!). At that time in our history, citizens were reluctant to join the army, and these beautiful houses were a way of enticing people to enlist. And while you are here you should head into Building 408 (one of the Colonel’s Row houses) where eight painters exhibit their watercolor and oil paintings of Governors Island.

Building 408

Next, take Center Road south and head through the vaulted archway of Liggett Hall. In the future, this will be the gateway to the new park. Liggett Hall was designed by McKim Mead and White, the famous architecture firm, in 1929. It was designed to hold an entire regiment in the one, single building. Liggett Hall is as long as the Chrysler Building is tall, and was the largest government building until the Pentagon was built. In fact, when it was built the building was believed to be the longest building in the world.

Liggett Hall (North View)

Through a door in the archway is an installation by Guido van der Werve–part of Creative Time’s Plot/09 quadrennial. This particular piece in Liggett Hall was very well received by the New York Times.

Once through the archway you will have reached City of Dreams mini-golf course and sculpture garden produced by FIGMENT*. Here you can put down your bikes, pick up a club and work your way around the 18 hole artist-designed course!

City of Dreams

If you made your own Governors Island route, tell us about it and comment on this post!

Filed under: Bikes, Governors Island 101 | Leave a Comment »

Water Taxi Beach Haiku

Posted on June 26, 2009 by Jon

Water Taxi Beach 001sm Water Taxi Beach
Sand in piles, awaits spreading
Beer cooler is here!

Filed under: What's New? | Tagged: governors island, Poetry, sand, Water Taxi Beach | 2 Comments »

Creative Time Plot/09: This World & Nearer Ones

Posted on June 26, 2009 by Christopher

Saturday June 27th Creative Time’s show Plot/09: This World & Nearer Ones opens on Governors Island. The show features 19 works by international and local artists or artist groups including the Bruce High Quality Foundation, Patti Smith, and Mark Wallinger. As a part of the show, we have opened five buildings that are not normally open to the public. Time Out can also give you more information about this exciting event. The exhibition will be up until mid September. this-world-nearer-ones[1]