Saturday, May 21, 2011

Diaz Jr. celebrates the 40th Annual Bronx Week Parade marching with hundreds of Bronx students
After getting inducted the new members of the Bronx Walk of Fame will be part of the parade

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. will celebrate the grand finale of Bronx Week 2011 Parade marching down Mosholu Parkway with hundreds of students from more than 90 Bronx schools and youth organizations.  The new members of the Bronx Walk of Fame, Chazz Palminteri, Irene Cara, Joy Bryant, and Charles Latibeaudiere, will also parade along Mosholu Parkway after the unveiling of the plaques that will carry their names on the Grand Concourse
After the parade, residents will enjoy the Bronx Week Food, Art & Music Festival, which features popular restaurants, arts & crafts; the Bronx Arm Wrestling Championships; and games and activities for kids, including the Arbitron Enchanted Forest with authors reading aloud to kids and giveaways for all.  Also, the Bronx Health Pavilion will offer free health screenings and information on services, health insurance; and the stage will offer live music all-day, showcasing the great cultural diversity of the Bronx.  This year’s main performers are: the hip hop legends Big Daddy Kane and Force MD’s

It all happens on Sunday, May 22 starting with:
Bronx Week Volunteers Breakfast:  9:30 AM
Court Building- 161 Street & Grand Concourse.

Bronx Week Walk of Fame Induction: 11:00 AM    
Court Building- 161 Street & Grand Concourse.

40th Annual Bronx Week Parade:   12:00 pm 
Mosholu Parkway North.

Bronx Week 2011 Food & Arts Festival: 12:00 pm 
Mosholu Parkway North & Van Cortlandt Avenue.

 Bronx Week 2011 Concert:   2:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Mosholu Parkway North & Bainbridge Avenue.

       
 


BOROUGH PRESIDENT DIAZ, ELECTED OFFICIALS & COMMUNITY LEADERS CALL FOR GREATER PUBLIC ACCESS TO JEROME PARK RESERVOIR

BP Diaz will host a hearing on June 2nd to solicit public input on access plans

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. joined together with a coalition of elected officials to call for greater public access to the Jerome Park Reservoir. Borough President Diaz also announced that he would host a public hearing in June to solicit greater input from Bronxites on the future of public access to Jerome Park Reservoir.
Standing across from an empty Jerome Park Reservoir are (From left)- Father Gorman, Chariman, CB 12; Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz; Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.; State Senator Gustavo Rivera; Assemblyman Jose Rivera; and Councilman Oliver Koppell. The picture at the bottom shows a one full and beautiful reservoir. Click on the picture to enlarge it.

“This community treasure has been left unused for far too long,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “It is time for the collective voice of the northwest Bronx to be heard, and for the Department of Environmental Protection to develop a plan for real community access to the Jerome Park Reservoir.”

In March, the Department of Environmental Protection released a disappointing report, two years in the making, that calls for a three-day pilot program for pedestrian access to the Jerome Park Reservoir in 2013. Borough President Diaz said that while he understood the security concerns put forward by the DEP regarding public use of the Jerome Park Reservoir, he felt that those concerns could be addressed well enough to allow for greater public access to the reservoir.

To that end, the borough president’s office will host a public hearing to allow Bronxites a chance to voice their own opinions on greater public access to the Jerome Park Reservoir. That hearing will be held on Thursday, June 2, 2011, at Vladeck Hall in the Amalgamated Houses located at 74 Van Cortlandt Park South (on the corner of Hillman Avenue and Van Cortlandt Park South). The hearing will take place from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

“I urge everyone who is interested in seeing the Jerome Park Reservoir opened to the public to come to this hearing and make their voice heard. The reservoir was designed, built and opened as a park, and access should be returned to the community,” said Borough President Diaz.

"We are very concerned over the extremely limited proposals for access by the DEP. We need to explore ways in which we can provide substantially more access without sacrificing public safety,” said Council Member G. Oliver Koppell.

“The residents of the northwest Bronx have a right to enjoy the area around the Jerome Park Reservoir in the same way that the residents of Manhattan have the right to enjoy Central Park,” said State Senator Gustavo Rivera. “The Department of Environment Protection and Parks should be held to their commitment to make this area more accessible to Bronxites and should have to address the concerns of the community regarding their most recent plans. I am proud to stand with my colleagues in calling for greater access to the area around the Jerome Park Reservoir as well as greater community involvement in determining the future of one of our community’s most precious resources.”

“The time has come for greater community access to the Jerome Park Reservoir.  We've waited too long.  I grew up across the street from the reservoir.  While I was able to enjoy its beauty by looking outside from my living room window or by standing outside the fence, there is no rational reason why the fences are so far from the water.  We have an incredible resource in the northwest Bronx.  Why is the public denied the ability to enjoy it?  DEP's ridiculous proposal to give the public very limited access for a few days in the year 2013 is an insult to our community.  The time for greater public access to the Jerome Park Reservoir is now!” said Assembly Member Jeff Dinowitz.
 

Friday, May 20, 2011

Bronx BP ruben diaz Jr honors the best of the bronx at the bronx ball 

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr will host the Annual Bronx Ball, a party honoring this year's inductees into the Bronx Walk of Fame. This black-tie awards gala brings together the Bronx’s business, arts and civic leaders to welcome home Bronx-born celebrities.
The Bronx Ball pays tribute to those proud Bronx natives who Borough President Diaz will induct into the Bronx Walk of Fame the following morning.  The Class of 2011 inductees are: Chazz Palminteri, who wrote and starred in “A Bronx Tale” and then turned it into an award-winning stage production; Irene Cara, Grammy and Golden Globe winner, Joy Bryant,  actress and former fashion model who currently stars in Parenthood; and Charles Latibeaudiere, Co-Executive Producer of TMZ.
The honorees will be inducted into the Bronx Walk of Fame on Sunday, May 22, at 11:00AM on the Grand Concourse at 161st Street.  Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. will unveil permanent street signs bearing their names. 

Picture (Device Independent Bitmap)
Bronx Week 2011 celebrates environmental day at the bronx river
The Bronx Borough President’s Office and the Bronx Initiative for Energy& The Environment will host Environmental Day at the Bronx River.
Residents will get free canoe rides on the river, courtesy of the young boat builders at Rock the Boat, an award-winning environmental teen program that has helped reclaim the river from the borough gets its name. There will also be live entertainment along with art activities for the kids, courtesy of the Bronx Children’s Museum and the Hunts Point Alliance for Children. 

Saturday, May 21 -- 11:00am
Hunts Point Riverside Park- 
Lafayette Avenue Between Edgewater Road & The Bronx River

 

Arthur Avenue Festival 

As part of the celebration of Bronx Week 2011, on Wednesday, May 18, the New York Economic Development Corporation and the Bronx Borough President's Office co-hosted an event celebrating the food and history of the Arthur Avenue Retail Market. 


Assemblyman Jose Rivera, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., Mike Greco & David Greco of Mike’s Deli on Arthur Avenue, NYCEDC President Seth Pinsky, Bronx Chamber of Commerce President Lenny Caro and City Council Majority Leader Joel Rivera are holding up just some of food that was sampled. 

Click on the picture to see just how good the food that was being tasted was. 


 


Thursday, May 19, 2011

BRONX WEEK 2011 HOSTS THE ANNUAL BRONX COMMUNITY HEALTH EDUCATION FAIR 

The Office of the Bronx Borough President and Bronx Health Links host the annual Bronx Community Health Education Day Fair, one of the largest health fairs in the borough where health care providers, wellness programs and disease prevention services from across the borough provide free information and screenings.

Residents will be able to get valuable information for themselves and their family from Bronx organizations and health educators. Experts will give tips to keep kids active and healthy during the summer months.

Friday, May 20 --  11:00 am to 3:00 pm
The Bronx County Building - Veteran's Memorial Hall 
851 Grand Concourse (At East 161Street) 
 Congressman Engel,  Assemblyman Dinowitz, State Senator Klein and Councilman Koppell Announce Town Hall Meeting May 26th

Congressman Eliot Engel, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, State Senator Jeff Klein, City Councilman G.Oliver Koppell, the SAR High School, and the SAR High School’s Political Action Alliance will host a town hall meeting to discuss critical issues such as the federal, state, and city budgets, neighborhood school funding, senior citizen concerns, the expiration of tenant protection laws, the MTA, parking and transportation issues, job creation and economic development, as well as many other important matters.  The elected officials are eager to hear their constituents’ concerns and opinions.
Thursday, May 26th, 7:30pm
SAR High School
503 West 259th Street (at Riverdale Avenue)  
Call  (718) 548-1717 for more information.