On Thursday, October 6, the Bronx River Alliance along with NYC Parks, federal, state and local representatives celebrated the beginning of construction for Starlight Park Phase 2, a multi-phase restoration and greenway project that will close the major South Bronx gap in the Bronx River Greenway.
“After years of advocacy by community partners, government leaders and elected officials, the groundbreaking for phase two of Starlight Park brings us closer to our goal for continuous access to some of the boroughs best recreation and transportation resources along the Bronx River,” said Bronx River Alliance Board Chair Veronica Vanterpool.
This project is the result of a successful collaboration between local partners, like the Bronx River Alliance and Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice, and federal, state and local government agencies. For over a decade, these partners have worked together to develop and complete a fully-connected Bronx River Greenway accessible to thousands of Bronx residents and millions throughout the greater region.
“The Bronx River Greenway is a central element of our community’s vision of a socially and environmentally just future for the South Bronx; I look forward to seeing my child enjoying everything that we’ve struggled to build,” said David Shuffler, Executive Director of Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice and Bronx River Alliance Board Member.
Over $40 million from city, state, and federal sources have been invested in the project so far. A first stage, funded by $12 million from Mayor de Blasio and $4.4 million from the Department of Interior, Hurricane Sandy disaster relief appropriation program, will re-naturalize armored shorelines and reduce the vulnerability of Bronx communities to future coastal storms. A second stage will connect Starlight and Concrete Plant Parks, by crossing Amtrak rail lines with multi-use pathways and pedestrian bridges and is funded by $18 million in Federal Transportation funds and over $800K in local funds from the Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and NY State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr.
For more information, check out the media coverage:
- Bronx Times: Bronx River Greenway to get $40M face lift Robert Wirsing October 15, 2016
- Congressman Jose Serrano’s Office Press Release Bronx River Greenway Gets Transformation Worth Nearly $40 Million October 11, 2016
- The Architects Newspaper $40 million expansion of Bronx River Greenway breaks ground by Audrey Wachs October 10, 2016
- NYC Parks Commissioner’s Blog Starlight Park Revitalization By Mitchell Silver October 6, 2016
- DNAinfo: 23 Miles of Winding River and Green Space By Eddie Small October 5, 2016
- Bronx News12: Groundbreaking for New Extension of Bronx River Greenway October 6, 2016
