Bronx Park

Parks Cuts Ribbon On River Park Along The Bronx River

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, November 29, 2007
No. 154
http://www.nyc.gov/parks

Commissioner Adrian Benepe today joined Bronx River Administrator Linda Cox, community members, and students from P.S. 214 to cut the ribbon on $1.4 million in renovations to River Park, bordered by Boston Road, East 180th Street and the Bronx River. River Park is a small section of Bronx Park and has a unique view of a waterfall running from the Bronx River.

“River Playground is one of the best-situated recreation areas in the entire city, with a hillside picnic grove and scenic views of the adjacent Bronx River and its picturesque waterfalls,” said Commissioner Benepe. “Another example of Mayor Bloomberg’s efforts to connect people to their waterfront, it is now one of our best-equipped playgrounds, with its river-themed spray shower, children’s amphitheater and modernized infrastructure, thanks to $1.4 million in Croton Mitigation funding.”

The existing playground and picnic areas were reconstructed with new play equipment, swings, a river-themed spray shower, children’s amphitheater, steel perimeter fencing, reconstructed drainage and water supply systems, ground hydrants, pavements, curbing, benches, picnic tables, and landscaping.

In September 2004, the City Council approved a Memorandum of Understanding with New York State allowing the City to move forward with the construction of a water filtration plant for the Croton Water Supply under the Mosholu Golf Course in Van Cortlandt Park. As part of the agreement, more than $200 million generated from water and sewer revenue will be spent on improvements to over 70 Bronx Parks over the next five years, including River Park. Croton-funded projects fall into five categories and include improving neighborhood parks, renovating regional recreation facilities, developing the Bronx Greenway, improving and expanding access to the Bronx waterfront, and “greening” the borough. This agreement represents a rare opportunity to invest more than triple what would be spent on Bronx parks over the next five years.

The Bronx parks projects were identified after years of input from the community and were finalized with the help of community groups, elected officials and Bronx residents. Collaboratively, the Parks Department focused on projects that would be a challenge to fund through the capital budget. To date, out of 75 Croton projects, ten projects totaling $12 million have been completed. Nineteen more projects totaling $53 million are currently in construction, and forty-six projects totaling $135 million are currently in design.

Over the past five years, Parks & Recreation has invested more than $125 million for Bronx park improvements, including new waterfront parks, greenways, and recreational facilities. Over the next five years, Parks will invest an additional $560 million to develop park projects in the Bronx, including more than $200 million from the construction of the Croton Water Filtration Plant and $98 million from Mayor Bloomberg’s PlaNYC initiative to establish the sustainable growth of New York City by the year 2030, which includes developing Soundview and High Bridge Parks into the Bronx’s next great, regional parks. Current major capital projects also include Ferry Point Park, Bronx Terminal Waterfront Park, and Story Playground.

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CONTACT: Warner Johnston /Jesslyn Tiao (212) 360-1311