Above are renderings of the new State of the Art recreation center that is coming to the edenwald area to be located at 1250 East 229th Street. Mayor Bill de Blasio, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, local Councilman Andy King, former State Senator now Special Advisor to Governor Cuomo on Housing Ruth Hassel-Thompson, and other Bronx elected officials were also on hand for the announcement. This is to be a 50,000 square foot YMCA that will include an aquatics center (with two swimming pools), a wellness center, full length basketball court, gymnasium, and programing for people of all ages and income levels. This will create 100 permanent living wage jobs, and 101 construction jobs. The Ymca has also pledged to a 35 percent MWBE contracting goal for design and construction, and to hire local residents through the NYCEDC's Hire NYC program. There will be 200 parking spaces for the new recreation center. The total estimated cost is forty-eight million dollars
Mayor de Blasio said that his commitment to the Y comes from his wife who grew up in a small town where the local Y had a big impact on her life. He quoted numbers that show this area of the Bronx has been short changed when it comes to family recreation centers, but that will now end when this new YMCA open in 2020.
Speaker Heastie said that this is not a new idea, but one that has lingered under five mayors now, and it seems that five is the lucky number to the community as their dream will become a reality. This had been a dream of former Community Board 12 District Manager Carmen Rosa before she passed away, and it would be fitting to name the recreation center after her.
Former State Senator Ruth Hassel-Thompson said that she rushed up from her new job in Manhattan as an advisor to Governor Andrew Cuomo on housing to be at this event. She said that it was the boys Mayor de Blasio, Speaker Heastie, and Bronx BP Ruben Diaz Jr. who were getting the credit, but that there were several women like herself who were involved in making this a reality.
Above - Mayor Bill de Blasio points to a rendering of what the new Edenwald Recreation Center will look like when it is built.
Below - The mayor makes the famous Bronx X showing his support for the Bronx.
Above - Speaker Heastie and Bronx BP Diaz Jr. go over some of the features of the new recreation center.
Below - Mayor Bill de Blasio and Speaker Heastie.
Above - Mayor de Blasio with an ally from the 2013 election former State Senator Ruth Hassel-Thompson, who said she loves her new job as an advisor to Governor Cuomo on housing, and the commute to lower Manhattan.
Below - The mayor and the leading candidate to replace Hassel-Thompson in the state senate Mr. Jamaal Bailey, whom she has endorsed.
Above - Councilman Andy King is speaking as Mayor de Blasio listens. Councilman Kink was another supporter of candidate Bill de Blasio in th 2013 mayoral race.
Below - Councilman Andy King with Councilman Andrew Cohen who represents part of Wakefield and the neighboring council district.
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. is interviewed by the local cable channel.
