The Silver Lake Park field house in Staten Island where Parks Department engineer George A. Erickson was found dead. In May 2000 he was named Capital Projects' Employee of the Month for his "critical initiative." (Photo: Chad Rachman/NY Post)
Mr. Erickson joined Parks on September 9, 1990 and was an engineer with requirements contracts where he supervised millions of dollars worth of contracts in Brooklyn and Staten Island annually. According to the Parks Department these projects included Greenstreet sites and renovation projects at Greenpoint Playground, Newport Playground, and Levy Playground. George devised solutions to difficult drainage problems caused by non-porous red clay in Lemon Creek Park and Willowbrook Park. He also worked on Staten Island's first skate park in Midland Beach.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends. - Geoffrey Croft
Staten Island
A city Parks Department engineer who designed children’s playgrounds fatally stabbed himself in his office at Silver Lake Park on Staten Island — and his shocked son found his body, sources said today, according to the New York Post.
George Erickson, 62, who helped plan Lemon Creek Park in the borough’s Pleasant Plains section, was supposed to have attended a play with relatives last night, one source said.
When Erickson failed to show up for the event, his son became concerned and called one of his dad’s co-workers, who went with him to unlock the door at his father’s second-floor office at 42 Revere St. around 9:05 p.m.
The source said the son and co-worker then found Erickson’s body on the floor amid scattered blueprints.
Read More:
New York Post - January 16, 20111 - By Doug Auer and Jessica Simone
Staten Island Advance - January 16, 2011 - By John M. Annese
New York Daily News - January 16, 2011 - By Michael J. Feeney, Henrick Karoliszyn and John Lauinger
