The above two photos are from last year when the Van Cortlandt Park temporary ice skating rink was set up. Mr. Ron Kraut of Ice Rink Events is the person in the photos. On the left he is lacing up a pair of ice skates, and then on the right he is taking a spin on the newly formed ice.
Last year the ice was not as firm as it could be with warm weather and the crowd of people using the ice skating rink. At times the rink had to be shut down to refinish the ice with the Zamboni machine. This year a sand base was placed under the rink foundation so the ice could freeze faster and last longer.
As you will see in the photos below the ice skating rink is almost ready for its grand opening. The "Chillers" are back and being placed inside as the rink that has been set back up. The only thing missing is the ice and the advertisements that will be placed on the sidewalls of the rink.
12 comments:
Mr. Press, I remember that you tried to stop or slow down this rink from the very start. We are so lucky that nobody with any influence in this city took your constant complaining to heart. Now that the rink you tried to kill is a great success, you jump on the bandwagon and sound like you spearheaded the project.
First why hide your real name, you have not said anything bad though it is incorrect.
1 - I was never against the VCP ice skating rink, but wanted to know everything about it. Unlike others who said yes do what ever you want to the beautiful park.
We have found out that once the rink is down the area can not be used for its previous recreation.
2 - Yes there were people of influence who listened to the concerns of people like me. One example is that the proposed taking away of several needed parking spaces on Broadway in front of the rink were not taken away as was planned. I am also sure that you would love to have that structure of old shipping crates next to where you live as much as you do in the front of the park.
3 - We don't know if the rink is a success. When I asked if the rink was profitable, what the attendance was, and if the rink was going to be up after the two years that are rent free I received only that the rink met projected targeted attendance. We really don't know if it was a success.
4 - As for jumping on the bandwagon. After seeing how many people have used the VCP rink I like many others believe that the Kingsbridge Ice Center at the Kingsbridge Armory will be a success to that area especially when you have people who have hidden nothing, worked with the community to work out a very large Community Benefits Agreement, and who want to promote the sport of skating for everyone.
Furthermore I think that the community around the VCP rink should know if they intend to stay after the two free years. Since the rink is in VCP details of how many people used the rink, the revenues generated from usage of the rink, skate rentals, and any other items that brought in revenue should be made public.
I am sorry if I doubt someone when they say they want to put something in a park. Mayor Bloomberg not only put a temporary ice skating rink in VCP, but he also put a Water filtration plant that is 2 billion dollars over budget, and took away park space that was used by the community.
I think that the rink as first put forward as an idea by the former leader of the community board.
Hey Robert Press, if you don't want people making anonymous comments, then why do you offer "anonymous" as one of the identity choices?
Yes it was amazing. That the people who were against the ice skating ring (ex. Jeff Dinowitz) were the first to be there smiling for the newspaper grabbing a shovel and breaking ground. The riverdale political establishment being (or speaking ) two faced again. Love live anthony cassino and his efforts
It is a choice that I have no control over, but the comments are moderated. Almost all comments go up. The exceptions are comments that are lewd, vulgar, or those that have downright incorrect information. Elsewhere even where names must be included such comments still continue.
The Bronx Times suspended comments when it got out of hand a while back.
Thank you for your comment.
Mr. Press cannot write with the authority of a court historian about anything that Tony Perez Cassino did during his many years as the Chairman of Bronx Community Board 8. Mr. Press was not board member then and could not possibly know what was going on behind closed doors. That is why most of what he writes about Mr. Cassino is just negative speculation of a man who sat in the audience with the rest of us. I prefer to look at the things that Mr. Cassino actually did (rather than focus on some biased opinions about why he might have done them).
"The man of knowledge must be able not only to love his enemies but also to hate his friends."
Quote from Friedrich Nietzsche
I think that the important things Anthony Cassino has done over the years command even the respect of his most pronounced enemies.
Whoever wrote this comment could not know what I knew. My involvement with CB 8 predates Mr. Cassino as a Community member of several committees. I was made a full member of CB 8 when Mr. Cassino was not reappointed to the board.
I was a member of CB 8 when Mr. Anthony Cassino came to the board with " an ice skating rink for Van Cortlandt Park". Mr. Cassino had no details or facts at this first meeting, so I was one of several CB 8 members who wanted to know just what Mr. Cassino was talking about. As there were more meetings more answers were presented, but then more questions came up.
As for being a "Court Historian" on Mr. Cassino. I can say it was not hard finding out the information that was going on behind those closed doors.
Mr. Press seems to have a bias against acknowledging the influential role that Anthony P. Cassino has played in Riverdale and Kingsbridge for a very long time.
You could be right, but I don't want to air dirty laundry here against Mr. Cassino. Look to his actual performance on CB 8, why he was put there, and just how he ruled the board and the committees he chaired.
It is Mr. Cassino that has a bias against several people who helped his downfall. If you think I was one of those people I stand by what I did, however I don't think so.
Politics is a very rough game to play. One has to know not to harbor any grudges after playing the game or the gray hairs will set in.
It also helps if you have nothing to lose.
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