Randall’s Island just got a new claim to fame that has nothing to do with concerts or soccer fields. The Randall’s Island Park Alliance has officially broken ground on a $6 million Nature Center, a 2,500-square-foot hub for science, sustainability and free programming set to debut in fall 2026. Think of it as the island’s new brainy (but still fun) clubhouse—equal parts lab, classroom and community hangout, with plenty of green cred baked in.

The Center will serve as home base for RIPA’s wildly popular education and community programs, which already engage more than 15,000 local students each year—91 percent from neighboring East Harlem and the South Bronx . Expect dedicated classrooms for school groups, a base camp for summer campers and a much-needed indoor option when the weather do

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