More than $1.8 Million in State and Municipal Grants slated for projects at Scenic Bronx Park to Enhance Outdoor Activities for Families
(in the photo with Senator Klein, Councilman Cohen, Assemblyman Dinowits, and Bronx Parks Commissioner Aponte are Eric Seiff from the Friends of VCP, and M. Perron VCP administrator.
State Senator Jeffrey Klein and Council Member Andrew Cohen announced Wednesday that more than $1.8 million in state and municipal capital grants is being provided to the NYC Parks Department as part of an effort to enhance Van Cortlandt Park. The funding will be used to construct a new playground and make environmental and infrastructure improvements to two trails at Van Cortlandt Park.
State Senator Jeff Klein said: “Van Cortlandt Park is a Bronx treasure. I am pleased that I was able to secure funding in this year’s state budget that will help enhance the park’s natural attraction to New Yorkers of all ages. With this new playground and trail upgrades we’ll attract more visitors and ensure that our residents continue to enjoy outdoor fun and a beautiful connection to the environment.”
Council Member Andy Cohen said: “After I took office, it became a priority of mine to secure the funding to help NYC Parks create a new playground in the north-west section of Van Cortlandt Park. This particular area was lacking a recreational space for the youth of the community to enjoy. I believe that this new addition, along with the improved park trails, will draw more families to this beautiful space and utilize every portion of the park. Park improvement is something I am very dedicated to and I am proud to help make this particular need for more recreational space a reality.”
Bronx Parks Commissioner Hector Aponte said: “Last year, NYC Parks worked with the communities surrounding Van Cortlandt Park to create a plan which would improve the park and better serve parkgoers. We identified priority projects – including creating a new playground on Van Cortlandt's western side and upgrading park trails. The plan started to become a reality after allocations by Council Member Cohen were bolstered by grants secured with the help of State Senator Klein.”
Assemblyman Jeff Dinowitz said: "All kids deserve to have public spaces in their neighborhoods where they can play safely. Residents in Riverdale enjoy access to many amenities in the world-class Van Cortlandt Park, yet for some, playgrounds are few and far between: the Parks Department’s Van Cortlandt Park Master Plan, released earlier this year, noted the lack of play areas in the northwest corner of the park and identified the construction of these spaces as a top priority.
A total of $1.275 million was secured in a combination of state ($500,000) and municipal ($775,000) grants for the new playground which is expected to be located in the general vicinity of the Riverdale Stables.
Senator Klein also secured $542,388 in state grants for NYC Parks to implement two of the remaining projects in the Van Cortlandt Park Trails Plan. Specifically, The John Kieran Nature Trail and the John Muir Nature Trail. The upgrades and improvements to the trails will help to better serve Park users and highlight and protect the Park’s unique natural resources.
Van Cortlandt Park is New York City’s third largest park, encompassing more than a thousand acres atop the ridges and valleys of the northwest Bronx. It is surrounded by five diverse NYC neighborhoods (Riverdale, Kingsbridge, Van Cortlandt Village, Norwood, and Woodlawn). The park is home to the country's first public golf course, the oldest house in the Bronx, and the borough's largest freshwater lake.
More photos are below.
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