It was a rainy Thursday morning, but that did not stop over one hundred people from coming out to celebrate the grand opening of the new Edenwald YMCA located at 1250 East 229th Street, two blocks off Boston Road. The Y was a dream of a group of area residents who wanted a place for neighborhood children and adults to enjoy and be safe. The group led by Shirley Fearon and Alonzo De Castro started their dream years ago when Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie was only Assemblyman Carl Heastie, New Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. was brought into the picture, and Larry Seabrook was the councilman.
As time would go on Andy King became the councilman, Assemblyman Carl Heastie became Speaker Carl Heastie, and the mayor became Bill de Blasio. In August 2016 this Idea became a reality when Mayor de Blasio, Speaker Heastie, Councilman Andy King and others brought out the concept of a 50,000 Square foot Y with an Aquatics Center with two swimming pools, a wellness center, full basketball court, gymnasium, and programming for people of all ages and income levels. It would also create 100 permanent living wage jobs. the estimated cost was to be forty-eight million dollars with completion in 2020.
In 2018 ground was broken for this new YMCA.
On Thursday September 9, 2021 the ribbon was cut for the New Bronx YMCA.
The song YMCA was played, and everyone then went into the YMCA dance of showing the letters.
Some people then went into the new gym to meet former New York Knick John Starks. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie showed off his hoop ability by getting five of six baskets, as you see one that went in here.
State Senator Jamaal Bailey wanted a photo of him with his two daughters and New York Knick star John Starks. Bailey said he and his family will be regulars at the Y, and that he wants to learn how to swim in one of the two regulation pools.
A photo of the entrance to the New YMCA located at 1250 East 229th Street.
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