Julio Carballo Fields

Parks Cuts The Ribbon On $2 Million In Renovations At Manida Park In Hunt’s Point

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, September 15, 2008
No. 98
http://www.nyc.gov/parks

Commissioner Adrian Benepe today joined District Manager for Community Board 2 John Roberts and kids from St. Ignatius Elementary School and Carballo’s Youth Baseball League to cut the ribbon on $2 million in reconstruction on Manida Park and the Julio Carballo Ball Fields.

“The renovation of Manida Park and the Julio Carballo Ball Fields offers enhanced recreation and fitness amenities for the Hunt’s Point community,” said Commissioner Adrian Benepe. “Renovated with $2 million in DEP Croton Mitigation Funds, this park now features new grass ballfields, a basketball court, new landscaping, state-of-the-art play equipment, a spray shower and a picnic area. Along with the recent opening of Barretto Point Park, Hunts Point Riverside Park, and the Floating Pool, Manida Park is part of an expansion of parks and recreational facilities in the Hunt’s Point community.”

The existing fields, located adjacent to the Hunt’s Point Recreation Center, were completely reconstructed. Parks replaced the existing backstops, re-graded the fields, constructed new clay infields, and planted new grass outfields. The new facility features one little league field, one tee-ball field, and one multi-use field, surrounded by a running track. In addition, Parks added a new basketball court adjacent to the ballfield. The area surrounding the fields was further enhanced with new amenities such as steel bleachers, picnic tables, benches, game tables, drinking fountains, a basketball court, play equipment, and a spray shower. New landscaping and fencing complemented the renovations.

The projects were funded as part of a $200 million investment in Bronx parks, financed by mitigation funds from the construction of the Croton Water Filtration Plant through the New York City Department of Environmental Protection and the Municipal Water Finance Authority.

Croton-funded projects are improving neighborhood parks, renovating regional recreation facilities, developing the Bronx Greenway, improving and expanding access to the Bronx waterfront, and “greening” the borough. To date, Parks has completed 22 Croton projects, totaling more than $37 million and 21 more projects totaling more than $60 million are in construction. There are also 32 additional projects in design totaling more than $97 million.

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