30th Annual Bronx Parks Speak Up

 

It was a beautiful day for a bike ride to the Bronx Parks Speak up, which a group of people did from the Bronx Courthouse to Lehman College where the Bronx Parks Speak up was being held. The Exhibit Room was filled with various park affiliated organizations including the Parks Department, City Planning, Urban Park Rangers and other city or state agencies, various friends of many community organizations affiliated with parks, and sponsors such as Con Edison. 

A delicious lunch was provided for the attendees, then there was a presentation of Cleaning NYC's Air Through Electric Vehicle Adoption by Kevon Brown Senior Specialist of Con Edison. Con Edison will be converting their fleet of Vehicles to all electric, and is encouraging the conversion to all electric vehicles and appliances in homes.

Speakers included a welcome by Ed Garcia Conte, a review of thirty years of Bronx Waterways and Greenways by Dart Westphal, recent Bronx Parks improvements by New York City Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue, Championing Bronx Parks through Advocacy by Sherrise Palomino of New Yorkers for Parks, and a panel discussion on Using Nature to Combat Climate Control moderated by Daniel Ranells of BCEQ and the Bronx River Alliance, with Melissa Enoch Acting Assistant Commissioner of the DEP, Kevin Kubasa Deputy Director NYC Parks, Shino Tanikawa Executive Director NYC Soil and Water Conservation District, and Christian Murphy Ecology Director of the Bronx River Alliance. 

After all the speakers there were various workshops followed by Thirty Years of Speaking Up by Robert Fanuzzi President, Bronx Council for Enviornmental Quality, and a wrap up of the day's activities. The organizers thanked the sponsors of the Speak Up, Lehman College, Con Edison, and BCEQ.

The Con Edison table was right at the entrance to the Exhibit room which had many giveaways. 

Partnership for Parks were on hand at the Speak Up.

City Planning had a mock up of the Cross Bronx Expressway where new pedestrian walkways are being put in.

Ranger Hunter B. was by the Urban Park Rangers table.

The Friends of Mosholu Parkway as well as other Bronx Community organizations were in the house.

(L - R) Bronx Parks Commissioner Jessenia Aponte, NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue, and First Deputy Parks Commissioner Iris Rosa Rodriguez.

Past President of BCEQ  Dart Westphal speaking about Bronx Waterways and Greenways, Thirty  years later.

The Panel Discussion on Using Nature to Combat Climate Change.