Bronx River Parkway

The Daily Plant : Thursday, July 19, 2012

New Entrance To The Bronx River Greenway Is Unveiled

Photo by Malcolm Pinckney

This project establishes a link between Bronx Park and Bronx River “Shoelace” Park, and a gateway to the Bronx River Greenway

On June 18, Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe joined Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz, and enthusiastic members of the Bronx River Alliance, Friends of Shoelace Park, and Bronx Community Board 12 to cut the ribbon on the new 211th Street entrance to the Bronx River Greenway.

“Since 2002 the Bloomberg administration has reclaimed underused and often dilapidated waterfront to create first-rate parks in all five boroughs, but nowhere has the transformation been more dramatic than here along the Bronx River,” said Commissioner Benepe. “Thanks to the Bronx River Alliance and all of our partners, both in the community and in government, we have been able to commit more than $100 million to restore the Bronx River, and build parks and a greenway around it. This new entrance is the latest improvement and will make Shoelace Park more attractive and more accessible to pedestrians, cyclists and boaters alike.”

This $1.46 million project was funded with $882,000 allocated by Mayor Bloomberg, $250,000 in environmental benefit funds provided by the New York State Attorney General's Bronx River Watershed Initiative through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and $329,000 in Federal grants. The project created a formalized, handicapped-accessible entrance to the Bronx River Greenway, and a connection between Bronx Park and Bronx River “Shoelace” Park.

The new entrance features sitting areas, native trees, plants, and shrubs, as well as green infrastructure elements. Improvements were also made south of the entrance along the western and eastern sides of Bronx Boulevard including a new wooden fence, improvements to the sidewalk, and signage and striping to safely guide greenway users to adjacent parks and amenities.

Bronx Park is a 718 acre park with baseball fields, playgrounds, woodlands, waterfalls, the NY Botanical Garden and the Bronx Zoo. Bronx River Park, which because of its dimensions is often called “Shoelace Park,” is a linear park that includes two playgrounds and extends from 211th Street to 231st Street along the east bank of the Bronx River.