Brooklyn's waterfront is set to roll back into motion this spring as the Pier 2 roller skating rink reopens for its 12th season on March 27, ushering in a lively mix of music, movement and community along the East River. Located within Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 2 has long been a hub for recreation, but the return of its open-air roller rink signals the start of the season and an influx of outdoor activities for families.
It was one of four skate parks being created or revamped as part of a city initiative, and the only one that proposed building an entirely new space rather than replacing an existing skate park or asphalt rink. Intended as the city's flagship, it was also by far the largest, in the city and regionally, tied with the Lynch Family Skatepark in Cambridge, Massachusetts, which is the largest skate park on the East Coast.
When our lakes are frozen, they are truly our greatest asset. There's a long history of ice harvesting in this region, so there was just a lot of commercial activity on these lakes, cutting blocks of ice out of the lakes all winter. Frozen lakes were so important to the city that records of when the ice froze each year go back more than 100 years.
Please look at all the snowmen in this park after a New York City blizzard. Let's look. What followed was a tour of everything from a 'full pyramid' built from stacked snow blocks to a carefully crafted Hello Kitty figure and a towering snowman Stewart described as, 'the biggest snowman I've ever seen in my life.'
Even if you're not close by, it's worth making the trip. This is more than just a room with chairs and a few tables; the team behind Pier 57 has worked hard on creating an indoor park vibe. There's soft, turf-style seating where you can stretch out and relax. Kids can stay busy with lawn games like cornhole while you sit back, sip a coffee, and watch them play without feeling guilty (or frozen!). And you all will get some much- needed Vitamin D.
I absolutely give you permission to learn what twizzles are, but if you're coming into this as a once-every-four-years viewer, I encourage you to appreciate these performances based on how the skating made you feel. For me, watching it reminds me of the first time I was taken to a classical music performance: "What am I supposed to do with my brain during this?" I thought.
Studio for New Realities shapes the new lakeside playground pavilion for Plaswijckpark in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, as an all-season destination that combines play, learning, and experimentation. It also restores a direct relationship between the park and the waterfront. During the design process, children help shape the project by voting for their favourite play equipment, contributing to a building that supports every kind of activity: playing, creating, eating, concentrating, and experimenting.
There is a place in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park that is heaven for Bay Area inline skaters and roller skaters who like to boogie to the funky beat on wheels. The Godfather of Skate brings his mobile DJ unit and plays groovy tunes for you to skate to. On most Sundays, there's usually someone willing to teach you a few choreographed roller disco dance moves.
I will never forget watching the Winter Olympics with my Mom and my Nanny on the black-and-white TV we had on the kitchen table in our Windsor Terrace home. It wasn't big, but it was thrilling. I'll always remember them screaming and cheering as the U.S. took home the gold. Though things have changed a lot since then, the Olympics are always memorable.
Ruby Hill Railyard in Denver is now open to snowboarders and skiers and features 11 rails and boxes of varying configurations and skill levels. This terrain park can be found off South Platte River Drive and West Florida Avenue in the Mile High City and is free to use. "Rubyhill railyard is now OPEN!! Crazy to think we can open with the snow drought this year! The volunteers killed it! Snowmaking went incredible! Thank you."
Special Olympics focuses on athletes with intellectual disabilities, emphasizing that they want the same opportunities as everyone else (friends, jobs, independence) without social barriers. The organization helps remove obstacles to let athletes thrive. SOPA is all about the athletes and their remarkable resilience under challenging conditions. One remarkable fact about the athletes with intellectual disabilities is that they want to seek normalcy, inclusion, and the same opportunities as anyone else. They are not looking for "special" treatment or lowered expectations from people.