Public access to the Jerome Park Reservoir could very well be headed to permanent public access pending the outcomes of a pilot program scheduled to begin sometime in September of this year. / Photo Credit and courtesy – Gary Axelbank
Last night at a meeting for the Croton Facility Management Committee, the Commissioner Emily Lloyd of New York City’s Department of Environmental Protection surprised all in attendance that the agency will move forward with a pilot program granting public access to The Jerome Park Reservoir—one of The Bronx’s greatest treasures that has been cut off from the public for some 20 years now. (see transcript from last night’s meeting here in pdf format)
“This was a surprising, if not a totally shocking development, something those of us who have been working on this for a long time never expected. After all we had been thorough over this, I remarked to a few people afterwards it’s like we had just entered some alternative universe.” commented Gary Axelbank host of New York City’s longest running talk show, BronxTalk and a resident living in front of the reservoir.
Axelbank added, “As recently as a month ago the commissioner made it clear to me that there were many impediments to this and one of the asst. commissioners said point blank at a previous meeting and behind the scenes to someone i know that public access to JPR was essentially not going to happen. so many of us were prepared for a long meeting. i’m not sure (nor do i care) what caused the change of mind, but this is the right thing for the Bronx, that’s for sure.”
This is a victory for Bronx residents as many parts of our borough lack direct access to one of our most precious resources and that is our waterfront and bodies of water.
Now while this is not a guarantee whatsoever that this will ever come to fruition beyond the pilot program, which is currently being discussed to begin sometime in September, for now we can celebrate the fact that DEP has done a complete about face on the issue.
During the pilot program, access will be limited to 2 hours of walking, biking around the reservoir in between the fences surrounding it, walking tours of groups of up to 25 people per tour to provide a history of the reservoir, and also educational programs in conjunction with local schools by developing special curricula on surround the Jerome Park Reservoir. Access has been denied due to safety concerns for New York City’s water supply.
“Improved public access to the Jerome Park Reservoir will not only create new recreation activities in our borough, it will help unite communities across the Northwest Bronx. I congratulate the elected officials, community boards and dedicated activists whose work has helped make this announcement possible, and I look forward to walk around the reservoir this fall,” said Borough President Diaz in a press release issued by his office.
Protected paths that are currently off limits around the Jerome Park Reservoir / Image Courtesy Gary Axelbank
Diaz Jr, along with New York State Senator Jeff Klein and NYS Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz joined forces, with great community support, to back legislation that would declare Jerome Park Reservoir a public park according to the press release issued by the BP’s office.
One thing that many may or may not remember, the original location for the controversial and filtration plant was actually the Jerome Park Reservoir itself that would have eliminated this beautiful and iconic body of water that is part of the fabric of The Bronx and the Northwest Bronx in particular.
Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr added in his press release:
“This is incredibly welcome news, and something my office has advocated for over the past few years. Jerome Park Reservoir is a historic gem of the Northwest Bronx, yet for too long access to its paths has been denied to the public for a variety of reasons. The announcement by Emily Lloyd, commissioner of the City’s Department of Environmental Protection, to begin the process of expanding public access to the Jerome Park Reservoir is incredibly welcome, and I look forward to helping plan and implement access for the reservoir in the fall,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.
Borough President Diaz added, “It is my hope that this announcement is the first step towards greater, permanent access to this incredible amenity.”
Protected paths that are currently off limits around the Jerome Park Reservoir / Image Courtesy Gary Axelbank
The ultimate irony about this statement is that residents of the South Bronx have been fighting for the same amenities to waterfront access along the Harlem River where FreshDirect continues to plan to build a massive facility—something which the area has been fighting against due to overwhelming issues with asthma and quality of life issues, particularly poor access and lack of access to open spaces.
The community has even come up with a comprehensive waterfront plan backed by City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and was given priority by the New York State Deparment of Environmental Conservation known as the Mott Haven-Port Morris Waterfront Plan.
All people in our borough deserve equitable access to green spaces especially those that are public land such as the Harlem River Yards where FreshDirect plans to build their headquarters.
Let’s hope that we can use this small yet huge victory in the Northwest Bronx to set a precedent for access to other spaces that our residents are clamoring for.
Protected paths that are currently off limits around the Jerome Park Reservoir / Image Courtesy Gary Axelbank
In the meantime, Gary Axelbank had a few important words to impart to the community:
“The most important thing for us to know is that when the pilot access is permitted, that we have a lot of people peacefully and responsibly make the most of it and enjoy it. the more people who do that, the better chance there will be to do things on a more permanent basis. that’s going to be crucial.”
Bronx artists have something to celebrate: They no longer have to go to Manhattan to get their art supplies.
Artist & Craftsman Supply, a worker owned supply shop with thousands of items has opened its first Bronx store in Wakefield.
Located at 3961 White Plains Road between E 224th and E 225th Streets, the 8,000+ square foot store offers everything you’d expect from downtown stores and then some.
From canvases, yarn, spray paint, and markers, to chalk, watercolors, brushes, sketch books and more, there isn’t much you won’t find at Artist & Craftsman Supply.
All stores hire locally and reinvest back into their employees by giving them stock in the company thus enabling them to be owners.
The store is really, really massive. Like really massive.
And it’s not only their employees that they invest in—they also invest in their communities and local artists.
In a few weeks, Tag Public Art headed by Sinxero will be painting a mural in the neighborhood along with graffiti legend Sexer. This is one of two local murals that will be painted in collaboration with the store.
Artist & Craftsman Supply also seeks to partner up with local arts organizations and schools and even has special discounts when artists spend over $250 and $500 each get a respective discount, students and teachers get 10% discount every day.
“Everybody’s in the business to make money, you have to make money to succeed but we really want to support artists, to support and foster artistic endeavors in our youth especially”, said Cassie Brehmer, Regional Manager of Artist & Craftsman Supply.
Already they are doing exactly that.
The company generously sponsored two events for No Longer Empty with Lady K. Fever that focused on families and children and the store will also be tabling at Boogie on The Boulevard this coming August. This is something that she mentioned that they love to do so if you’re an organization that needs vendors or tabling partners definitely reach out to them.
She also mentioned that the store was originally going to focus on urban arts but they quickly realized that, “…The Bronx was an art supply store desert,” so they used that learning experience to adapt to the needs of Bronx artists.
The upstairs area may be small but looks are deceiving as the basement stretches across 3 store fronts underground.
According to Brehmer, prices are comparable or lower to other Manhattan art supply stores and that they also will price match if a customer brings in a sales flier.
One of the many wonderful things I encountered while checking the store out is that the employees are also artists and are extremely knowledgeable about the products and are quick to assist you.
Oh and did I mention that the store was painted and designed by the employees themselves?
Brehmer also stated that the store will eventually feature a classroom area where employees would be able to provide classes, but get this: It will also be available to artists, free of charge, who are interested in teaching classes as well.
I’m not an artist myself and I’m super excited about this and can only imagine my artist friends’ and Bronx artists’ reactions when they read about this let alone make a trip there.
No longer will our artists have to venture outside of our borough and can invest their money locally.
Don’t forget to tell them you heard about them here at Welcome2TheBronx!
This won’t be their only location in The Bronx as they are hoping to open up a second location at some point in the future but more on that later down the road!
CBKPerk, a collaboration between two small Bronx businesses—Morris Perk and Charlie’s Bar & Kitchen—was off to an excellent start this morning. Folks were already waiting by 6:15 just before the 6:30AM opening of the new coffee and breakfast service at Charlie’s.
The energy was buzzing and folks from all over The Bronx came out to support.
Sara Bonizio from Morris Park and Metro Optics said, “I have never had, and probably will never again have, that much fun on a Monday morning at 8am. Truly a phenomenal grand opening. This is bigger than coffee. It’s community at its finest.”
With CBKPerk, Charlie’s now offers service from early in the morning along with their recently launched lunch service to cap it all of with their signature dinner menu at the popular watering hole.
What’s really special about this is how two small businesses—one that currently is without a brick and mortar spot and another with a physical location—can help each other out.
From Mondays through Fridays starting at 6:30AM and ending at 9:30AM Morris Perk will be popping up offering their popular coffee blends, teas and tasty pastries. Eventually, as the time passes and more customer feedback is given (which is always appreciated) the breakfast menu will be expanded.
I guess this is as good a time as any to give a full disclosure that Morris Perk is run by my dear friend, Lovie Pignata and that the folks at Charlie’s are great folks who have done business with Welcome2TheBronx via Bronx Fashion Week as they were one of our sponsors for our show last month.
But I truly believe that doesn’t change how I feel about what happened today.
The Bronx came through in a show of support to make sure the inaugural day went well.
Baron Ambrosia, the culinary ambassador of The Bronx came through as did News12 The Bronx and BronxNet along with its executive director, Michael Max Knobbe, two individuals along with so many others that are always showing the world (and ourselves) how special and wonderful our borough is and more importantly, its people.
“It’s great to see Bronx entrepreneurs and the community aligning together around products from The Bronx offered in Bronx places. Where Mott Haven connects with Harlem at Charlie’s in The Bronx, you can now enjoy a morning Morris Perk brew.” said Knobbe.
Verde Flowers from across the street even dropped by for the morning shindig at CBKPerk.
To see so many Bronxites come out today as well as small Bronx businesses coming out to support another was a wonderful thing.
It is what our borough is truly about, not big box stores and sprawling malls filled with chain stores but the mom and pop establishments that truly support the local economy.
It is the tenacity of our people forged through the tough times and knowing that by building from within and supporting each other, we come out stronger.
That being said, make sure you stop by and say hi and enjoy a cup of amazing Morris Perk Coffee (the cold brew is amazing and is a process that reduces the acidity of the coffee by 70% so it’s perfect for those who have had to cut back on their cup-o-joe).
Also don’t forget that Charlie’s is open for lunch and of course dinner, happy hour and drinks!
Congratulations to these two establishments coming together.
CBKPerk is located at Charlie’s Bar & Kitchen at 112 Lincoln Avenue at the corner of Bruckner Boulevard inside the Clocktower Building.
Tonight, The Bronx Documentary Center brings to our borough a very important and ground-breaking exhibition which discusses some of the most infamous cases of photo manipulation and misleading captions in the media and global photography contests.
Some of the images included in the exhibition are that of Chris Arnade who comes to The Bronx neighborhood of Hunts Point in an exploitation of the most down-trodden in the community to photograph them for his personal gain and fame.
The New York Times writes about the exhibition:
“Most curators hope to get glowing reviews and popular acclaim when they mount an exhibit. Michael Kamber, on the other hand, is expecting some blowback for his latest show, “Altered Images: 150 Years of Posed and Manipulated Documentary Photography,” which opens this weekend at the Bronx Documentary Center.
And he’s perfectly O.K. with that.
“I think there will be some unhappy people,” said Mr. Kamber, a photojournalist and founder of the center. “That’s good. If people would stop faking photos, then they wouldn’t have to be worried about being called out.”
The exhibit, a selection of well-known images that have been altered, staged or faked, is an indictment of some modern practices, and practitioners, of photojournalism. At a time when veteran photographers are being replaced by newcomers or untrained “citizen journalists,” it also raises important questions about the profession’s future amid increasing doubts about the veracity of images.
Mr. Kamber, who covered the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and conflicts in Africa for The New York Times, would be infuriated whenever he saw photographers pose images in the field or alter them in postprocessing.
“I’ve lost friends who put their lives on the line to get it right, and then you have people faking it,” said Mr. Kamber, who was close to both Tim Hetherington and Chris Hondros, who were killed in Libya. “It’s a betrayal. Just get it right. Don’t change things, don’t direct your subjects, don’t lie in your captions, don’t move pixels. Get it right. That’s what we’re here to do.”
The exhibit, which consists of more than 40 images, catalogs some of the darker moments in the history of photojournalism. And there is enough material to leave many news organizations red-faced: National Geographic for digitally moving Egyptian pyramids; Time magazine for darkening O. J. Simpson’s skin color; Magnum and Pictures of the Year International for a dramatic award-winning image by Paolo Pellegrin with a misleading caption (below); Associated Press and Reuters for moving digitally altered scenes from the Middle East; and The New York Times for publishing a posed photograph in 2002 of a boy holding a toy gun outside an Arabian-foods grocery.” – Posing Questions of Photographic Ethics/New York Times
About the exhibition:
OPENING RECEPTION
Saturday, June 20th, 6-9PM
Free and Open to the Public
ON VIEW
June 20 – August 2, 2015
Thursdays and Fridays 3-7PM
Saturdays and Sundays 1-5PM
This exhibition will explore disputed images in photojournalism and documentary photography–photos that have been faked, posed and retouched. From the American Civil War to this year’s World Press Photo contest–in which judges disqualified 20% of the finalists–some photographers and editors have misled the public or made mistakes of judgement and execution. This groundbreaking exhibition examines many of the most prominent cases and shines a spotlight on acceptable documentary practice and ethical photojournalism.
The Bronx Documentary Center is located at 614 Courtlandt Avenue at E 151st Street in Melrose and is easily accessible via public transportation.
As No Longer Empty’s residency and exhibition, ‘When You Cut Into The Present The Future Leaks Out’ at the Old Bronx Borough Courthouse is coming to an end as it enters its final month, an open call is being issued to local Bronx performance artists to end the exhibition with a big celebration.
Going Out With A Bang! will be held on Saturday, July 18th from 1PM to 7PM.
Since opening on April 23rd, thousands of Bronxites have celebrated the arts and our borough’s history through a wide array of exhibitions and programming.
Most importantly is the impact its had on local children and the youth who repeatedly come to the exhibition with their friends, thus demonstrating the need of such safe spaces in our communities and the importance of the arts in our communities.
Just take a look at organizations like Casita Maria, The Point CDC, Kips Bay and you can see the tremendous impact youth programs have in our communities.
That being said, No Longer Empty and Welcome2TheBronx are inviting Bronx performance artists (poets, dancers, writers, singers, etc) to make the last days special and an event to remember.
No Longer Empty is looking for projects that align with the current exhibition’s themes of justice, law, and the past and present histories of The Bronx.
The organization is also encouraging collaborations for the farewell event too.
In order to be considered for this event you must submit a sample of your work and/or a description of your idea(s) to ilk@nolongerempty.org and don’t forget to tell them Welcome2TheBronx sent ya!
We’re happy to announce that The Bronx Museum of The Arts is opening up a new café in The Bronx right in the museum itself and has selected and partnered up with Welcome2TheBronx for a naming competition!
The winner in naming the new cafe will win a free lunch along with five of their friends, family or loved ones; it’s completely up to you who you bring along to the party so to speak! The runner up to the contest will receive 2 tickets to a paid Bronx Museum event!
After the entries are submitted, you, the community, will have an opportunity to vote on your favorite finalists and then the winner will be announced at an open house.
How cool is it that you have the opportunity to name it and brag all about it too!?
According to the Bronx Musuem, “The café naming opportunity is a chance for members of the community to get involved in the Museum’s upcoming venture, and true to our ongoing commitment to engage our community. As excited as we are for the café to open, we also recognize this as an ideal dining option for residents as well as those who work near the Museum”.
The yet-to-be-named café will offer salads, sandwiches, wines, pastries and, of course, coffee for both museum visitors and locals alike. What better place to hang out in a cafe than one that’s in a museum, how cool is that?
The café will be run in partnership with Fountain House, an organization which dedicates itself to providing learning and working opportunities to local residents recovering from mental illness providing a wonderful way to give back to the community through this vehicle.
Diana Perez of the Parkchester area of The Bronx was last seen walking her dog at 8AM this past Sunday, June 14th around The Cross Bronx Expressway and White Plains Road.
She never returned home and her dog was eventually found in Longwood later that day at 5PM, miles away from her home, tied to a fire hydrant on 156th and Bruckner Boulevard.
As her neighbor, Nilka Martell mentions in a post, “This is a borough of 1.4 million people…someone, cameras, something must have seen something.”
If you have any information on her whereabouts or saw anything, please call the number above immediately or email us at info@welcome2thebronx.com
From 161st street to 198th Street (3.45 miles!), each Sunday, the center lanes of The Grand Concourse were closed off during the Months of July and August for pedestrian use only, including bicycling, skating, rollerblading and tons of passive activities including neighbors just setting up chairs and hanging out and interacting with each other on an entire different level and environment.
It became The Bronx’s front and backyard if you will, one giant stoop gathering going through communities of hundreds of thousands of Bronxites.
Ferrer’s program proved so successful for The Bronx that it was expanded from just the summer months and straight through mid November, but alas, Giuliani came along and axed the program in 1996.
Photo Essay by Jeff Prant On recent Sundays, Bronx residents have enjoyed a car-free Grand Concourse from 161st to 198th Streets. Once scheduled only for summer months, the lane closings will now extend through November 13th, thanks to the Transportation Alternatives Bronx Committee and Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer. These photographs celebrate the results. / via Transportation Alternatives 1994
Last year, residents and local community based organizations alike, including The Bronx Museum of The Arts and Transportation Alternatives banded together to revive the popular event.
In 2014 we just got a few blocks from 165th Street to 167th Street for just 3 Sundays but this year we’re getting 8 blocks for 3 Sundays on August 2nd, 9th, and 16th from Noon to 4PM!
A video of last year’s event, check out how beautiful the tapestry of The People of The Bronx is in this video showing our diversity. Everyone getting along and having fun.
We spoke with former Borough President Fernando Ferrer about this to which he had to say:
“I’m glad this is back, even in abbreviated form. I always thought that, along the length of Grand Concourse, with cycling, skating strolling, concerts, farmers markets and police officers on bikes, everybody got along and enjoyed their own streets for at least a day a week. More, there was an easy relationship with police officers patrolling on bikes and the people seemed to enjoy that. Not an excessive amount of police…just the right amount so that people could enjoy each others’ company and families could play with their kids.”
And that was the crux of what Ferrer and TA accomplished in the 5 years that the program ran and was expanded until it met its untimely demise under Giuliani.
Each Sunday from July through November, that’s exactly what you saw and experienced on The Concourse.
Boogie on The Boulevard is indeed starting out in abbreviated form but it’s popularity last year clearly showed that this is something that the people wanted back so its expansion this year is a testament to the fact that former Bronx BP Ferrer was on to something and in touch with the community’s wants and needs.
NY1’s Erin Clark did a piece last year on the program:
Although the event is only for 3 days and on a much smaller scale, it is our hope that with each passing year, we can prove how necessary this is in The Bronx to strengthen our communities, create summer activities for our children, help combat obesity by creating a safe passage for walking the wide and beautiful Grand Concourse and Boulevard, devoid of vehicles.
If you are an organization that would like to volunteer and participate in this wonderful event, please fill out this application and check of your interests along with your contact information. Some of the categories that are needed to make this a success are:
BRONX NONPROFITS TO EXPLORE BRONX ART SCENE WITH SPECIAL EVENT
The Old Bronx Borough Courthouse opened to the public, after nearly 40 years, on April 23, 2015 with a No Longer Empty art exhibition titled “When You Cut Into the Present the Future Leaks Out.” Photo credit: David Kopstein
**MEDIA ALERT**NO LONGER EMPTY AND HOSTOS CENTER FOR BRONX NONPROFITS ADDRESS REDLINING, GENTRIFICATION, AND ART AT JUNE 18 EVENT AT OLD BRONX BOROUGH COURTHOUSE
Also On View: Designing the WE’s Undesign the Redline Mini Exhibition In Conjunction with Current No Longer Empty Project, When You Cut Into the Present the Future Leaks Out *FREE and open to the public*
The Old Bronx Borough Courthouse
878 Brook Avenue / Bronx, NY 10451
(at East 161 St & Third Ave)
WHO
Featured panelists for “Shifting Sands: New Dynamics in the Bronx Art Scene” include: Arthur Aviles, Founder and Creative Director of Bronx Academy of Arts & Dance; Alicia Grullon, Artist; Carey Clark, Artist and Visual Arts Director at the POINT; Eddie Torres, Deputy Commissioner, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs; Bill Aguado, former Director of Bronx Council on the Arts; Dennis RedMoon Darkeem, Artist; Michael Kamber, Founder and Director of Bronx Documentary Center.
Featured programming is presented as part of No Longer Empty’s exhibition When You Cut into the Present the Future Leaks Out at the Old Bronx Borough Courthouse. Once boasting granite floors, lavish stairways, and bronze doors, the Beaux Arts-style building has been shuttered for 37 years and remains adorned by a statue of Lady Justice. Taken as both site and theme—a time capsule, witness, and symbol—the title references a quote by Beat generation poet, William S. Burroughs, that echoes approaches attributed to cut-up poetry, early Hip-Hop and Spoken Word. Curated by Regine Basha, the exhibition includes the work of 27 artists and site-specific projects.April 23–July 19, 2015
Thursday–Sunday, 1–7pm
Address: 878 Brook Ave (at East 161 St and Third Ave) / Bronx, NY 10451
Directions: 2 or 5 train to 3 Ave-149 St
ProjectBronx founder, Adam Levine-Peres interviews New York City Councilwoman Vanessa L. Gibson (District 16) for the show’s 3rd season.
It’s that time of the year again and without fail, Adam Levine-Peres, founder and creator of ProjectBronx has just launched season 3 of the Bronx favorite YouTube Series.
The first episode asks “What is Justice?” and here’s what folks had to say (oh and by the way, we want to know what YOU think justice is too so let us know in the comments section below:
Yesterday, while spending time on The High Bridge on its second day being opened, I interviewed dozens of individuals. Jermaine (left) and Lestial (right) both from the Manhattan side met while enjoying the bridge. Neither had anything negative to say about The Bronx or raised concerns but instead were elated to have the bride reopened.
Yellow journalism is alive and well, folks.
So the title of this blog post is pretty harsh but who cares, so is The New York Post’s reporting in general and especially when it comes to The Bronx. This time, however, the offense will not go unnoticed nor without a response.
It was a festive day despite the morning rain and residents from Highbridge and Washington Heights—the two neighborhoods which The High Bridge straddles—were out in full force mingling with each other and making new acquaintances.
Instead of reporting back on the real story, The New York Post decided to do what it does best: Yellow Journalism. In their piece on the opening of The High Bridge, they chose to seek out folks who saw it as a negative and went on to say that residents on The Manhattan side are “…worried about the bloodshed across the way…” and that Washington Heights residents, “…fear it would connect their neighborhood to a war zone.”
This was based on quotes from TWO individuals. That’s it. There was no evidence whatsoever that Washington Heights residents were in fear for their lives because of the opening of The High Bridge. These are two communities sharing strong, historical and ethnic ties.
Bronx resident Magali, chose to walk over The High Bridge yesterday and was overwhelmed by excitement and called it “a beautiful thing”. She said she can now safely and easily get to Washington Heights from her home in The Bronx which is right next to The High Bridge. Before, she had to take a long and more dangerous walk, due to vehicular traffic , to cross over the Washington Bridge further north.
The 23 shootings in Highbridge represent 144% increase, a far cry from the 600% increase over in Manhattan and Washington Heights.
Furthermore what the New York Post doesn’t tell you is that the 44th precinct in The Bronx covers over twice the geographic area that the 33rd precinct in Manhattan covers. The population in the 44th precinct is 146,441 versus 76,958 in the 33rd precinct—that’s almost DOUBLE the population of the Manhattan side. (population statistics of each precinct are straight from nyc.gov)
When you look at the data and current statistics, you can clearly see that there is virtually no differences between the two neighborhoods with respects to crime when you take into account the overall disparities in geographic size and coverage as well as population.
What’s even more ridiculous about The New York Post’s sensationalist piece is that they forget to mention one thing: Both communities already were connected via the Washington Bridge which has pedestrian walkways further to the North. It also neglects to mention that The Bronx is connected to Manhattan by 16 bridges (The Randall’s Island Connector will be the 16th bridge to connect The Bronx with Manhattan/New York County).
Of these 16 bridges 3 are dedicated strictly to rail only and 2 for cars only with the remaining 11 bridges to carry pedestrians, vehicular traffic, and the 1 subway line into Riverdale.
That being said, The Bronx and Manhattan have over a century of being united by dozens of bridges so to highlight The High Bridge as something potentially dangerous for Manhattan is both irresponsible and unfounded and once again puts a spotlight on the ethics of The New York Post and of course these two particularly irresponsible journalists.
I went back yesterday without having even read or heard about the New York Post article yet and was there for a couple of hours interviewing folks from both sides and the consensus from over 3 dozen people (ok so that’s not scientific poll either) was that they were excited and happy that they now have a safe and clear passage into either side void of vehicular traffic.
On its second day of opening, The High Bridge was full of parents with their children who were learning about the history of The High Bridge via the medallions placed along the bridge’s path, bikers, skaters, runners, joggers, or folks simply just sitting on one of the benches to take in the views and the amazing breezes one gets over 100 feet in the air without any obstructions.
Having been there on both the opening day and the second day of its opening for a combined total of roughly six hours speaking to dozens of people, I could not find one person to say anything negative about the opening from either side let alone Manhattan residents.
The New York Post owes The Bronx and The City of New York an apology for its unprofessional reporting that, instead of celebrating a momentous occasion uniting two communities that share common ties even further, it chose to actively seek out to shed a negative spotlight.
Maybe The Bronx should kick the New York Post out FROM The Bronx when The Randall’s Island Connector opens this summer which is directly adjacent to their printing facilities. I say we have them evicted, demolish their plant and turn it into another park for Bronxites. We’re good enough for their polluting trucks coming in and out to deliver their crappy paper but not good enough to write positive stories about our borough so why not get rid of them and put that land to good use.
One of the hundreds of trees New York Restoration Project has planted in Melrose and Mott Haven in The South Bronx—including tree guards!
The New York Restoration Project, founded by Bette Midler in 1995 with the mission to bring green spaces as well as upgrade existing green spaces across New York City, particularly underserved areas and that everyone should be within walking to green spaces.
You may recall that the Divine Miss M herself had adopted several miles of The Bronx River Parkway as part of the beautification of the roadway.
Now the organization is planting 825 trees across the South Bronx but with an added twist: They’re also installing tree guards, something which I noticed while walking through Melrose.
According to Anne Tan-Detchkov, Director of Marketing & Communications New York Restoration Project (NYRP), the planting of these trees is, “…part of New York City’s 1 Million Trees program.”
Working hard away at Melrose Houses planting beautiful new trees thanks to New York Restoration Project/ Image Credit Anna Yatskevich for NYRP
Not only are the trees going to provide extra shade and more cooling of our streets but will also help clean up our much polluted air and provide energy savings.
The vast majority of the trees will be planted on NYCHA property with the remainder going to schools, street replantings and parks.
“During the spring and fall planting seasons in 2015, the trees will be planted in key properties throughout the South Bronx that are selected in need of greening, including 550 trees on select New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) housing developments, 100 in NYC Parks, 40 at New York State Department of Education (NYS DOE) schools and 35 along roadway medians; and 100 replanted street trees.
As part of the project, a two-year stewardship plan will also be implemented with the help of The Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) and Trees New York, to ensure long-term health of the trees. CEO will provide tree maintenance job-readiness training in the basics of tree care and maintenance, to perform tasks such as weeding and mulching tree pits, watering trees, and other such necessary jobs. Trees New York will conduct community tree care training workshops and citizen pruner classes to educate residents and businesses on how to ensure optimal health of trees.
“We are deeply committed to greening the South Bronx and look forward to bringing so many new trees to the area,” said Deborah Marton, NYRP Executive Director. “Trees mitigate the heat island effect and fortify community health by cleaning air and water, encouraging physical activity and reducing energy usage.” The 825 trees to be planted are estimated to absorb 20,625 pounds of carbon dioxide per year, with carbon sequestration increasing approximately 40 percent each year as the trees grow. Within the first year of planting, the trees will help save approximately $23,100 in energy costs, with an additional 10 percent each year the trees grow.” – via NYRP
Image Credit Anna Yatskevich for NYRP
Some of the NYCHA developments where planting has begun and will continue are St Mary’s Park Houses, Patterson Houses, Mott Haven Houses, Mitchel Houses, and Millbrook Houses which will be receiving magnolias, and willow oak, and tulip trees to name a few.
This is a really exciting program as it is one offered by many organizations to engage our youth and communities to be stewards of our natural resources and learn how to take care of them.
With limited city funding, it is crucial that we, as residents of our beloved Bronx and city, that we take a little time to take care of the little corners we all inhabit.
The results of such actions and behaviors only strengthen communities engaging residents across a multigenerational spectrum and all sorts of socio-economic barriers.
I hope that within my life time, I can see a Bronx (and the rest of the city) that is fully tree-lined regardless of where you go and tree pits full of flowers planted by our children and community members where we can truly stake claim to our neighborhoods.
