Friends of Van Cortlandt Park's September 2015 Enewsletter

Summer is quickly coming to an end but we are looking forward to enjoying the fall in Van Cortlandt Park.

Eleven young people just finished up working for our Summer 2015 Teen Trails Crew.  These interns maintained nearly 5 miles of trail while also partnering with a boyscout troop to build up a section of the John Muir Trail that runs alongside Mosholu Avenue. The interns also took a trip to Clarence Fahnestock Memorial State Park in Putnam County to work with the NY- NJ Trail Conference (pictured). Head out on the trails in VCP to see their great work.

We have lots of great events planned for the fall including Canoeing with Wilderness Inquiry on October 24th and two fun fundraisers planned in September-  Otis Matthews Fall Start 10Kand a Paint Nite event at Kelly Ryans.   Check out the list below and visit our website for a full listing of upcoming events.

Hope to see you in the Park!

Christina and all of your Friends at the Friends of VCP

SEPTEMBER 2015 EVENTS

Otis Matthews Fall Start 10K

Monday September 7th starting at 9am

The Friends will join the Van Cortlandt Track Club for this 10k race. Kids activities include a 1 mile run and Eco-Crafts. Proceeds will go towards trail maintenance. Registration is now open!  

Art in the Park Adventures

Saturdays September 12th, 19th and 26th at

11am and 1:30pm (sessions are just under 2 hours)

Your little Picasso will create their own original art and expand their skills in a wide variety of methods and materials during this art class series. Children, ages 6 to 12, can attend as many or as few sessions as they would like. Meet at Woodlawn Playground- just south of VCP East and Kepler Avenue.

Get Active Hiking Series

 Saturday SEPTEMBER 12th at 10am

Join us for a Wetlands Tour in VCP.  Please wear appropriate shoes and bring plenty of water and a snack for the hike.  Meet at 242nd and Broadway near the last stop of the 1 train.

Paint Nite Fundraiser

 Thursday September 17th starting at 7pm

In just about two hours, a performing artist will guide you through a painting so that you come up with your own unique masterpiece that you will be amazed YOU created. Everything you will need is provided: canvas, paints, brushes and even a smock. All proceeds will go towards future art programs in Van Cortlandt Park.  Event will be held at Kelly Ryan’s at 5790 Mosholu Ave.  Tickets must be purchased in advance.

Fall Kickoff Forest Volunteer Event 

Saturday September 26th meeting at 10am

Join us as we start our fall volunteer season with projects on the East and West Sides of the Park. Projects include shrub and tree plantings and invasive plant removal (both sides) and hillside beautification projects near Healy Field on the east side. Meet at the Nature Center- enter the Park at Broadway and W. 246th St. –OR- Meet at Van Cortlandt Park East and Kepler Ave.

“Back to School Clean Up Event”

    The Bronx Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce its Back to School Clean Up Event on the Allerton Avenue Commercial Strip. 

   On Wednesday, September 2^nd at 10:00AM, the day will begin at The Sanz (815 Allerton Avenue, Bronx, NY 10467).  There will be many exciting activities for the students participating.  Children will receive a free breakfast, school bags, school supplies, haircut coupons, and more.  Many federal, state, and city officials will be on hand along with the leadership of The Allerton Avenue International Merchants Association. Merchants and local residents will be participating in this neighborhood beautification project. 

Bronx Chamber of Commerce

Back to School Clean-Up Event

Wednesday, September 2, 2015 at 10:00AM 

The Sanz 815 Allerton Avenue, 

Corner Boston Road.

STATEMENT FROM STATE SENATOR GUSTAVO RIVERA ON THE SCIENTIFIC STUDY THAT HIGHLIGHTS THE BENEFITS OF THE "HAPPY MEAL" BILLS

"Not only does this study confirm that children will pick a healthier meal that is accompanied by toy when given the option, but it also highlights the nutritional shortfalls of the fast food our children are consuming. This scientific study highlights how the "Healthy Happy Meal" bill proposed by Councilmember Kallos has the potential to make these fast food meals that are targeted to kids healthier. 

One of my legislative priorities in the State Senate has been to set statewide nutritional standards for meals that are accompanied by a toy. I commend and thank New York University for conducting this study, which will support our efforts to pass legislation in both the city and state that aims to set standards that will encourage our children to make healthy food choices without any misguided influence."

Link to Study: http://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797(15)00335-9/abstract

Link to Senator Rivera's "Happy Meal" Bill: http://open.nysenate.gov/legislation/bill/S779-2015

Editor's Note: I wonder just how many 'Happy Meals' Senator Rivera has eaten, and have they made him the person he is today? 

New York Comic Con 2015

October 8 - 11, 2015 | Javits Center

Show Floor Hours Thursday: 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Friday: 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Saturday: 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Sunday: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Panel Hours Thursday: 10:30 AM - 10:00 PM Friday: 10:30 AM - 10:00 PM Saturday: 10:30 AM - 10:00 PM Sunday: 10:30 AM - 5:00 PM

ASSEMBLYMAN SEPULVEDA AND PTA OF PS X106’s WEEKEND SCHOOL SUPPLIES GIVEAWAY A BIG SUCCESS

   

Three Hundred backpacks & back-to-school supplies packets distributed Saturday

at ‘Family Fun’ celebration at Caserta Playground

Over 400 people attended a back-to-school celebration and free school supplies giveaway held Saturday at Caserta Playground which was jointly sponsored by Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda and the PTA of PS X106. Nearly 300 elementary school-age children received a slew of free school supplies — including backpacks, notebooks, pencil cases, and pens and pencils at the event.

“It is really gratifying to have had so many families and young learners participate,” said Sepulveda, who gave special thanks “for the dedication, hard work, and leadership of PS X106’s PTA as well as those generous and community-minded corporate sponsors who made the event possible — St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, WellCare, United Healthcare, Apple Bank, MCU, TD Bank, Key Food, and Staples.

“The beginning of the school year is exciting but can also be challenging,” added Sepulveda. “Supplies are costly, and many of our families are on really tight budgets. That’s why the PTA and I are so pleased that these children are ready for school, prepared and eager to learn, and equipped with shiny, brand new supplies, and at no cost to their parents. This community always comes together to put kids’ interest first,” Sepulveda concluded.

“The Back to School celebration was a huge success. We were able to give close to 300 school supply packages to the children throughout the Parkchester community. It was beautiful to witness the joining of so many diverse groups of people in order to collaborate on an event that would benefit the community. The parents and volunteers are especially grateful to Assemblyman Sepúlveda for his generous contributions to the event.  Without his assistance, a lot of our success would not have been possible. This event epitomized the concept of community. For next year’s event, we hope more local sponsors will participate and we hope more of those who live in the community will play an active role in the celebration,” said Diana Neverson, President of the PTA of PS X106.

Movie on Riverdale Avenue

This is what you saw last night if you were on Riverdale Avenue between West 236th and West 238th Streets, the movie Jurassic Park. Hundreds of people came out with their favorite chairs to watch as Riverdale Avenue was closed to traffic northbound at West 236th Street, and Southbound at West 238th Street so the giant portable movie screen could be set up, and folding chairs put out by 6 PM. 

Once the sun went down the movie Jurassic Park began and ran until 10 PM when everyone who was left saw the last reptile killed, and the hero's of the movie reunited and safe. State Senator Jeff Klein and Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinosaur, joined Ms. Tracy Shelton of KRVC (the sponsor group of Movie Night) before the movie began to tell those in attendance what had to be done to get the 'Movie on the Avenue' accomplished. While some people coming home were inconvenienced a little by the closure of Riverdale Avenue there were enough police officers from the 50th PCT. to handle the street closure. 

The speeches by the elected officials had to be gotten in before the movie started, and as darkness arrived both State Senator Jeff Klein (speaking) and Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinosaur both thank KRVC and its Executive Director Ms. Tracy Shelton for the 'Movie Night on the Avenue, and the movie Jurassic Park.

Above - The hero's of the movie are being chased by offspring from the reptiles in Jurassic Park.

Below - The movie is about to end as the hero's are reunited. 

Movie Night at the Soundview Park Amphitheatre

  It was Yogi Bear comes to the Bronx last night at the new Soundview Park Amphitheater Movie Night hosted by the New York City Parks Department, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., State Senator Jeff Klein, and Assemblyman Marcos Crespo. Before the movie began while it was still light out the new Amphitheater was officially opened by NYC Parks Commissioner Michael Silver, BP Diaz, State Senator Klein, and Assemblyman Crespo. 

Above - NYC Parks Commissioner Michael Silver (standing without his crutches) tells how wonderful it is to be at the new Soundview Park Amphitheater.

Below - Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. thanks Parks Commissioner Silver (who is behind the BP, now using crutches to help stand him up from a softball injury) for the completed park project that BP Diaz tells was started when he was the assemblyman from the Soundview area many years ago.

State Senator Jeff Klein tells the importance of what the new park amphitheater will mean to local residents many of whom are in Senator Klein's district. 

Cablevision Putting System Underground

  First it was Con Edison which ripped up streets in the Bronx, and is still busy at work digging up many streets as they head down to the South Bronx area to install high pressure gas lines. Now it is Cablevision who is putting its new fiber optic cables underground, and following in Con Edison's path to help ruin our streets. As you have seen on this blog that some of the Con Edison street patchwork had to be redone, and I hope the same will not be true of the Cablevision underground wire work. However why would a company such as Cablevision be doing this work when by the time they are finished almost everything will become wireless, and Cablevision will become the latest victim of new technology. 

Above - A contractor (much like the ones used by Con Edison) is digging up the intersection of West 239th Street and Blackstone Avenue in the Riverdale section of the Northwest Bronx to lay new underground cables.
Below - The underground casing for the Cablevision wiring is sitting on the sidewalk.

In an unrelated story Waldo Avenue (several blocks from where Cablevision is digging up the street to lay new underground wires) is being milled and repaved. Con Edison put in high pressure gas lines in this street less than one year ago. Since the roadway became so bad after the Con Edison construction, could that be why the city is repaving this street now. Will the street have to be repaved again when Cablevision digs it up to lay their underground wires?

Above - The top few inches of asphalt is easily removed by this street grinder which is loading the old street surface into the back of the bin of the dump truck.

Below - You can see that Waldo Avenue (like many city streets) was once made of cobblestones.