Local community members and leaders gathered at Rafferty Triangle in Long Island City to mark the launch of LIC Partnership’s “Summer of Sports” initiative with a ribbon-cutting of a new public art installation. Photo by Shane O’Brien
July 25, 2024 By Shane O’Brien
Long Island City Partnership (LICP) celebrated the launch of its “Summer of Sports” initiative Wednesday morning with a ribbon-cutting at a new public art installation at Rafferty Triangle.
The initiative, which runs from July 26 until Aug. 18, simultaneously aims to promote an active lifestyle and showcase a diverse range of sports and fitness businesses in Long Island City.
Wednesday’s launch was attended by Council Member Julie Won, LICP President Laura Rothrock, Deputy Borough President Ebony Young and representatives from the 18 businesses taking part in the initiative.
The three-week program features a digital passport, with participants encouraged to collect unique digital stamps for every venue that they visit.
Anyone who collects five stamps or more will be invited to attend the Summer of Sports closing party at Movement LIC, located at 11-11 44th Dr., on Thursday, Aug. 22.
All 18 participating businesses are providing special deals and promotions for the duration of the three-week program.
The initiative, which coincides with the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, also aims to beautify Rafferty Triangle, at the intersection of 44th Drive and Hunter Street, with a new public art installation. The installation features six sports-themed art pieces produced by Nicolas Synnott of LeMonde Studio in collaboration with students from Information Technology High School.
Laura Rothrock (left) and Nicolas Synnott (right) with students from Information Technology High School. Photo by Shane O’Brien
The six interactive pieces include a tennis racket bench, a diving board bench, a photo frame with adjoining music box and three seats shaped like sports balls.
Photo by Shane O’Brien
Synott said all six art pieces in Rafferty Triangle have been designed “to be played with and touched.”
“A lot of what we operate uses cranks,” Synott said. “You turn the cranks and you generate lights and music.”
Won said the art installation will both beautify Rafferty Triangle and help build a sense of community in the local neighborhood.
Council Member Julie Won addresses attendees of the ribbon-cutting. Photo by Shane O’Brien
“When you live in Court Square or Long Island City among the big high rises, it’s really difficult to get to know your neighborhood,” Won said. “When you invest in artwork that is interactive and engaging, it gives people a reason to start a conversation with people who live right next to them.
“It allows folks to build a neighborhood.”
Won added that LICP’s Summer of Sports initiative will also help boost local sports businesses, especially those that “are off the beaten path.”
Young praised LICP for having the “vision” to support public spaces and the local community. She also praised the students of Information Technology High School who participated in the art project for doing “an amazing job” and supporting art in public spaces.
Queens Deputy Borough President Ebony Young speaks at the ribbon-cutting. Photo by Shane O’Brien
Rothrock said the initiative would simultaneously enhance public space in Long Island City as well as promote “all of the interesting fitness-related businesses” in the neighborhood.
“What better way than to tie that into the Olympics this summer, which people are excited about?,” Rothrock said. “There’s a way to participate in our own like mini-Olympics here in Long Island City
through our passport program that will encourage people to try all these really unique businesses.”
Rothrock said the initiative aims to encourage people to try new sports and fitness facilities over the next three weeks in the hope that they will continue to visit after Summer of Sports comes to an end.
“The goal is to get people to return to these places and bring their friends,” Rothrock said. “We have so many interesting sports that you just won’t find anywhere else. So we really want to encourage people to go to these businesses and try something new.”
Aoife Carrig, a strength and conditioning coach at the Trinity Gym, which is participating in Summer of
Sports, said the initiative can help encourage people to start their fitness journey. She said Trinity is open to people of all abilities and that the gym is keen to encourage people to “just keep moving.”
“It’s good to start these habits in the summertime,” Carrig said. “Once you have the habits you can
bring them into the winter.”
In addition to the Trinity Gym, other businesses taking part in the upcoming Summer of Sports initiative include BOUT Boxing and Fitness, Brooklyn Boulders Queensbridge, City Jiu-Jitsu Academy, CityPickle, Court 16, CrossFit Gantry, Dance Queens Fitness, Five Iron Golf, Hunters Point Parks Conservancy, Long Island City YMCA, Movement LIC, Nicely Fit Co., Orangetheory Fitness Long Island City, Performance Lab by The Wright Fit, QBK Sports, Socceroof and Team Jucao LIC Jiu Jitsu.
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