We reported last week that free kayaking on the Hudson was back. Lo and behold: we were wrong! Although kayaking was still listed on the Riverside Park Conservancy’s calendar as of this morning, it’s not actually happening, because the dock where it happens has destroyed in Hurricane Sandy.

Sorry for the misinformation! We were going off of the conservancy calendar and had no reason to believe it was wrong.

The city parks department contacted us to let us know: ” Unfortunately, the kayak dock at 72^nd was destroyed in Hurricane Sandy and The Downtown Boathouse and the Riverside Park Conservancy are working to get it back in use. It has not been finished at this time.  We will go live with kayaking on our Summer on the Hudson website once it is active. Until then, there is no kayaking at 72^nd street.”

The department had no timeline as to when it will be repaired.

As seen in the photos above and below, the walkway to the dock now leads into the Hudson itself. A sign attached to the walkway boasts that a quarter of a million people kayaked there from 1995 to 2012.

Check out what Riverside Park looked like the night that Sandy hit in these photos.

A tourist from Indiana was hit by a falling tree branch in Central Park around 86th street on Tuesday around 3:40 p.m. and sustained serious injuries. The woman, who is said to be in her 50′s, was taken to St. Luke’s Hospital and listed in serious condition with head injuries, a fire department official told the New York Times. The woman had cuts on her face and was disoriented, the Wall Street Journal reported. “Sharon Reese was walking with her husband when a 3 inch in diameter branch from an Oak tree suddenly snapped and fell three stories hitting her in the head, city sources said,” A Walk in the Park reported.

Just last week, we reported on another falling tree branch around 96th street and the high cost of lawsuits against the city related to these types of incidents.

Photo by Geoffrey Croft/NYC Park Advocates.

Riverside Park is looking for high schoolers for its Teen Corps this summer:

Do you know of any high school aged students looking to earn community service hours or work experience this summer? Tell them to apply to the Riverside Teen Corps program while there’s still time left!

The Riverside Teen Corps is a two-month long summer program where high school aged students learn about urban forestry management by working with Riverside Park Conservancy’s skilled horticultural staff to remove invasive plants, plant native species, mulch, water current plantings and more. Every Tuesday and Thursday this summer from 1-4pm. The program will begin on Tuesday, July 9th and continue until Thursday, August 29th.

Horticulture Volunteers :

• Assist in caring for diverse plantings of trees, shrubs, vines, perennials, grasses and bulbs
• Assist with seasonal landscaping work including weeding, watering, removing invasive species, mulching, aerating tree pits, and general cleanup
• Assist with preparation, staffing, and cleanup for group volunteer groups
• Assist in maintaining equipment and supplies needed to perform weekly tasks

For more info or to register please email Nya Jackson, Volunteer Program Assistant, at nya@riversideparknyc.org or call (212)870-3070

A 46-year-old man was hit in the head by a falling tree branch around Central Park West and 96th street on Monday morning. The man was transported to Roosevelt Hospital with minor injuries, an FDNY spokesman told us. NYC Parks Advocates, which reports news about city parks, reported that a large branch (about 18 inches in diameter) fell in the same location yesterday, but didn’t hit anyone. The city parks department did not respond to a request for comment about the incident and whether the city plans to prune the tree.

The Post reported this weekend that the city has been settling some of the lawsuits brought by the families of people who were hit by tree branches in the past few years. The family of 37-year-old Google engineer Sasha Blair-Goldensohn, who was hit by a tree limb in Central Park in July 2009 while on his way to work, won an $11.5 million settlement, the Post reported. An arborist had said the limb should be removed 20 days before the incident, but it did not get removed immediately. It was one of four similar incidents that occurred in Central Park in less than a year.

A 6-month-old girl, Gianna Marie Ricciutti, was killed in June 2010 and her parents have sued for $50 million. Their case is set for mediation next month, the Post said.

Two other incidents have resulted in payouts: “In April, the city agreed to pay $3 million to the family of Elmaz Qyra, who was killed in February 2010. Last week, Queens resident Roberta Colores-Martinez reached a $750,000 settlement — the city will pay $100,000 of that, two private tree companies will pay the rest — for a May 2010 skull fracture.”

The Times ran a series last year on the issue of falling tree branches in city parks, noting that “The budget to trim them has dropped to $1.45 million from $4.7 million in the last five years.” Funding for branch removal has recently increased.

Photo of trees in Central Park by robnguyen01.

Free yoga and pilates classes in Riverside Park are back starting this week. Pilates is on Tuesdays at 6:30 and yoga is on Wednesdays at 6:30. Both occur at The Plaza at 66th Street (in Riverside Park South).

PILATES
6:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m.
This total body workout is a great way to develop superior core muscle power and tone, all with a beautiful view of the Hudson. Please wear loose, comfortable clothing and bring your own mat.
More here.

YOGA
6:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m.
End your day with relaxing Hatha yoga in a beautiful sunset setting. Suitable for all fitness levels. Please wear loose, comfortable clothing and bring your own mat.
Free!
More here.

Image via NYC Parks.

Upper West Sider Asli Bilgin recently sent us a note that raises an alarm for dog owners on the Upper West Side. There’s a hawk stalking local pups, and yours could be next!

The bird (a commenter says it’s actually a falcon) has been flying to her 22nd floor apartment with eyes on her chihuahua Miniko. West Side Rag has not independently verified the hawk-stalking, but the narrative that Bilgin sent is a a bona fide thriller! Read it below:

For the past week a fledgling hawk has been stalking my Chihuahua.

In my apartment.

On the 22^nd floor.

Yes, stalking every day,  in what can only be best described as drive-by flyings.

The first day, I was endeared. Immediately, I hopped on Amazon searching for “falconeer glove” and picturing myself as the female St. Francis of Assisi. What a great dinner party trick! We are laughing, having wine and then I casually stick my arm out the window and voila: “look guys, a hawk!”  I pictured it crooning lovingly on my arm– us the perfect Disney couple.  Asli & Zazu.  Sigh.

At first, the drive-by flyings were entertaining.  By the third day, reality started hitting in. Hm, this hawk stalking messes up my morning routine.  You see,  I like sticking my head out the window each morning to see what pedestrians are wearing and check the temperature on the Apple Bank.  I don’t like sticking my head out the window and suddenly have a face full of feathers. (see photo).

On day four, I realized Zazu wasn’t seeking my friendship. Zazu wanted my cow-spotted Chihuahua. Curious, Miniko would come to the window seeing the flush of feathers.  Curious, Zazu would come to the other side of window, seeing fur covered flesh.  Now Zazu isn’t quite fully grown, so my Chihuahua definitely outweighs him by a good pound or two – at least she would until he ate her.

After five days with windows sealed shut and running the air conditioner, I’m wondering what next?  I’ve emailed the Linnean Society for help.

I’m also still looking up falconeer gloves.

If the small dog owners of the Upper West Side haven’t figured out, this is a public safety notice. If you live near Broadway and 70^th, keep your windows closed. Otherwise, you may have an unwelcome dinner guest who may want to snack on something other than your nice assortment of crudités.

Oddly enough, we have written before about dog-stalking hawks. have you encountered any hawk-stalking? Let us know in the comments.

Photos via Asli Bilgin.

If it’s clear by Wednesday night, you might get to see a spectacular sight.

Manhattanhenge is back!

Manhattanhenge is a rare celestial-spiritual phenomenon that occurs when the sun lines up perfectly with Manhattan’s East-West grid.

Tonight, it should occur around 8:15, according to the Museum of Natural History.

“For best effect, position yourself as far east in Manhattan as possible. But ensure that when you look west across the avenues you can still see New Jersey. Clear cross streets include 14th, 23rd, 34th. 42nd, 57th, and several streets adjacent to them. The Empire State building and the Chrysler building render 34th street and 42nd streets especially striking vistas.”

If it’s visible, send us photos! Here are some photos from the last time it happened.

Photo by Mike Kelton.

The Brood 2 Cicada, which only comes ’round once every 17 years, has begun to emerge from the ground in Central Park, according to a map of cicada sightings put together by WNYC’s Radio Lab. The bugs are expected to come out en masse in the next month or so as part of this regular ritual. They’ll buzz around, mate and then die.

According to the map, there have been two reports of cicadas: people have reported that they heard cicadas around 97th street in the middle of the park and that they saw cicadas around 72nd street in the park. Supposedly, the cicadas have been coming out first in Staten Island. Like everyone else, they’ve clearly been priced out of Manhattan and Brooklyn. WNYC explains what they look and sound like:

The insect, with its sinisterly bright red eyes and black body, can grow to about an inch and a half long. Include the bug’s clear wings and that could add about 2 inches.

But what’s really notable about the cicada is its loud, unrelenting noise. To imagine what it sounds like, Jody Gangloff-Kaufmann, an urban entomologist and a senior extension associate at Cornell University, says think of a plastic water bottle. “Push the plastic back and forth, it makes a click sound,” she said. “Imagine that going really quickly.”

There’s also supposedly a disease called cicadaphobia, or at least a website dedicated to it.

Check out a video of cicadas at a wedding in 1996, and the interactive map of cicada sightings below. If you see any of the bugs, try to take a photo and send it to us, and consider plotting it on the map.

Mariah Carey will kick off the Good Morning America concert series on Friday morning at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park. To get free tickets, you have to go through Ticketmaster.

“All concerts are free and open to the public and will take place live during “Good Morning America,” Fridays from 7 to 9 a.m. Viewers interested in joining “GMA” in Central Park are encouraged to arrive at Rumsey Playfield via the 72nd street entrance on Fifth Avenue at 6 a.m. when the park opens to the public.”

Here’s the schedule for the rest of the summer:

May 24: Mariah Carey* - #GMAMariah
May 31: Pitbull* – #GMAPitbull
June 7: Little Mix and Emblem3 – #GMALittleMix /#GMAEmblem3
June 14: Carly Rae Jepsen – #GMACarlyRae
June 21: John Legend – #GMALegend
June 28: Demi Lovato – #GMADemi
July 5: Imagine Dragons – #GMADragons
July 12: OneRepublic – #GMAOneRepublic
July 19: Jennifer Lopez* – #GMAJLo
July 26: Selena Gomez – #GMASelena
August 2: Ne-Yo – #GMANeYo
August 9: Kenny Chesney – #GMAKenny
August 16: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – #GMAMacklemore
August 23: The Wanted – #GMATheWanted
August 30:  Alicia Keys – #AliciaGMA

*The Mariah Carey, Pitbull and Jennifer Lopez concerts will require tickets in advance for entry. Tickets will be available closer to the performance date and fans should check back for more information on how to obtain free tickets.*

There are some new ways to get in shape for free in the neighborhood. All you have to do is drag your butt off the couch.

The Central Park Circuit consists of two six-week sessions. The spring session runs from May 14 – June 20, and the summer session runs from July 9 – August 15. The hour-long classes are held twice weekly:

Tuesdays: Play Out
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Great Lawn
Meet at Delacorte Theater
(Mid-Park at 80st Street)
Tap your inner drive to play with upbeat strength and cardio conditioning workouts that will encourage you to push your limits.

Thursdays: Bliss Out
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Great Hill
Meet at the plaza at Central Park West and 106th Street
Shift your attitude, clear your mind, and heal your body using yoga-inspired moves.

(Space is limited. Central Park Conservancy members who bring their membership cards are guaranteed a slot in each class. Attendees can continue their workout on their own by following exercises available by video or PDF on the Conservancy’s Web site, centralparknyc.org/circuit.)