City of New York Winter 2008 Edition Parks & Recreation Michael R. Bloomberg, Mayor Adrian Benepe, Commissioner MACOMBS DAM PARK NEWSLETTER Reporting on the Redevelopment of Parkland Surrounding Yankee Stadium Welcome to the New I NTERIM T RACK AND F IELD F ACILITY York City Department of Parks & Recreation's first The Macombs Dam Park Interim Track and Field facility, edition of the quarterly located on the corner of Jerome Avenue and East 161st Macombs Dam Park Street, was the first project completed associated with Newsletter, designed to the redevelopment of the Yankee Stadium area and keep the South Bronx opened to the public on Wednesday, May 23, 2007. community and all New The facility features a synthetic track surface, a synthetic Yorkers informed of the turf softball/soccer field, adult fitness equipment, and a redevelopment of long-jump pit. The track and field complex has proven to parkland surrounding be extremely popular with the community, which heavily the new Yankee uses all components of the park and has offered positive Stadium. feedback on all features! By 2011, all of our new Parks encourages its patrons to use this facility. The replacement facilities Macombs Dam Park Interim Track and Field will remain are scheduled to be open until the new permanent track and field is installed. available—including a great new waterfront park along the Harlem B ALLFIELD A T P UBLIC S CHOOL 29 River. The new Parks is reconstructing recreation space at P.S. 29 in the Parks will also plant new trees, install bleachers, repair amenities include a Melrose section of the Bronx. In addition to restoring the fences, and provide an accessible drinking fountain. running track; fields for handball and basketball courts, Parks will build a new Construction began in the Summer of 2007, and the soccer, little league, and synthetic turf ballfield that will be jointly operated with field opening is scheduled for Winter 2008. softball; tennis, P.S. 29. The public will have access to the new softball handball, and basketball field after school hours and on non-school days. courts; and passive recreation areas featuring benches, L OCAL S TREET T REE P LANTING I NITIATIVE walkways, and Over the next four years, the Parks Department will plant ute to the quality of life for the neighborhood by clean- landscaping. nearly 8,000 trees throughout the neighborhoods sur- ing the air, conserving energy, controlling storm water, rounding Yankee Stadium. These trees will not only be a muffling noise, providing wildlife habitat, and adding Please stay tuned to our beautiful addition to the streetscape but will also contrib- natural beauty. Request a street tree by calling 311. quarterly newsletter to find out more about what's happening with ALLFIELD T EST RONX ECREATION ENTER the different Yankee B A W B R C Stadium West Bronx residents can expect a new playing field Redevelopment next spring as Parks completes a softball field/soccer projects: Macombs Dam field at the West Bronx Recreation Center on Jesup Park, Mullaly Park, Avenue. Heritage Field, Ruppert Place, ballfields at The recreation area will include green space, seating, Public School 29 in a drinking fountain, a misting station, and pedestrian Melrose and the West paths that will link to the neighborhood and community. Bronx Recreation Parks will provide trees and other plantings at the site. Center in Highbridge, Construction started in early August 2007 for a two new parks on River planned opening of Spring 2008. Parks hosted a well- Avenue, Bronx Terminal attended groundbreaking event for this site in mid- Market Waterfront Park November. and Parks' tree planting initiative. The M ACOMBS D AM P ARK newsletter will also The section of Macombs Dam Park, west of Ruppert highlight related topics The site will also feature grassed seating berms. Place, at East 161st Street between Jerome Avenue and of interest for the These will be used by spectators to observe the vari- the existing stadium, will include a 400-meter, 8-lane surrounding community, ous sporting activities. They will serve as destination high school competition synthetic running track with as- such as the new Metro spaces for visitors or simply serve the passive recrea- sociated field events; a regulation synthetic turf soccer/ North station and local tional needs of park patrons. Construction will begin in football field with a grandstand; a comfort station; a main- recreational activities, the Fall of 2008. Phase 1 is scheduled to open during tenance/storage facility; handball and basketball courts; featured in this edition. the Spring of 2009. This entire section is due to open a children's play area with play equipment; sports light- in the Spring of 2010. Enjoy! ing; landscaping and trees. Page 2 Winter 2008 Edition City of New York N EW M ETRO N ORTH S TATION Parks & Recreation from the station from Harlem- Opening in Spring 2009, the new "Yankee Sta- 125th Street and Grand Cen- Bronx Headquarters - dium" Metro North Station will service the Hudson, tral Terminal. Ranaqua Harlem-125th Street, and New Haven Lines. The 1 Bronx River Parkway MTA projects that ridership for Yankee home In conjunction with this project, Bronx, NY 10462 games will range from 6,000 to 12,000 riders. The the MTA will also build a new creation of this station will reduce traffic on local ADA compliant pedestrian Hector M. Aponte, streets, create a convenient transit alternative, ex- bridge. This overpass will con- Bronx Borough Commissioner pand mass transit for local residents, fans, and nect the train station and visitors, and enhance redevelopment opportunities Macombs Dam Park; it will and revitalization of the area. also provide access to the wa- For Further Information Contact: terfront park, parking lots and The station will be open year-round as a commuter Michele Lignore-Diaz upland areas. Construction on Phone: 718-430-4617 station with hourly service on non-game days, and the new Metro North station Fax: 718-430-1818 more frequent service in select peak period travel began in August of 2007. For times. On Yankee home game days, Metro North Email: more information, visit http:// will provide a combination shuttle train service to/ [email protected] www.mta.info. Photo courtesy of the MTA M ULLALY P ARK R ECREATION C ENTER SCAN (Supportive Children's Advocacy Network) ages 10 to 18, teaching basketball fundamentals New York is the community sponsor for the Mullaly from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Saturdays. We’re on the Park Recreation Center. SCAN provides a wide Mullaly Park Recreation Center is open Monday Web! range of cultural arts, education and recreational through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Satur- services to 2,000 South Bronx youth and 200 fami- day from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and on Sunday lies. The center hosts a "Reach for the Stars" pro- from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The Center houses a www.nyc.gov/ gram for youth ages 12 to 18. This program offers stage, a gymnasium, a dance room, a library, a com- college tours, college prep, and SAT assistance. puter room, and a kitchen. parks Their "Violence Prevention" program is for all teens; it provides anger management classes, indi- Take the #4, B, or D train to 161st Street. Walk to vidual counseling, and group sessions. There is 164th Street and make a left to Jerome Avenue. You also an afterschool program on site for children can also take the BX6 or BX13 to 161st Street and ages 11 to 15 (middle school grades 6 through 8), River Avenue. Walk two blocks to 164th Street. Monday through Friday from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Make a left and walk one block to Jerome. If you are Lastly, the center holds basketball clinics for those traveling by car, take the Cross Bronx Expressway to the Jerome Avenue exit, and then drive southbound to 164th and Jerome. W EST B RONX R ECREATION C ENTER The West Bronx Recreation Center has a large soon be home to a new softball/soccer field. The multi-purpose gymnasium that is open to park pa- field will be available via permit for organized trons ages 12 years and up for basketball on Mon- leagues or special events. day, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday and for vol- The recreation center is located at 1527 Jesup Ave- leyball on Thursday. The center is also host to a nue, between 172nd Street and the Cross Bronx food pantry every Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 Expressway. You can take the #4 to Mount Eden, Click on the heading p.m. The building is open 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and then walk up to Jesup Avenue. By car, take the “Your Park,” then Monday through Friday and from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 Cross Bronx Expressway to Jerome Avenue, then “Redevelopment Projects,” then p.m. on Saturday. The community-based organiza- take Jerome Avenue to 172nd Street and turn left finally, tion Highbridge Life Center operates this facility. As onto Jesup. “The Yankee Stadium mentioned earlier in the newsletter, the Center will Redevelopment Project.” ULLALY KATE ARK M S P Located at 164th Street between Jerome and River Avenues in the Bronx (two blocks from Yankee Parks plans to keep the Stadium), Mullaly Park is home to the most notable community informed of the skate park in the five boroughs. Park patrons can Yankee Stadium practice their sport while also partaking in responsi- Redevelopment Project through ble biking, skateboarding and inline skating.