Seton Park

NYC PARKS BREAKS GROUND ON $1.9 MILLION TRANSFORMATION OF SETON PARK BALLFIELDS

NYC Parks’ Bronx Borough Commissioner Iris Rodriguez-Rosa, today joined New York State Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz, City Council Member Andrew Cohen, Community Board 8 Chair Rosemary Ginty, South Riverdale Little League President Peter Gauss and community members to break ground on the reconstruction of ballfields at Seton Park in Riverdale. The improvement project is funded by a $1.47 million State grant and $900,000 from Council Member Cohen.

“The ballfields at Seton Park are heavily used by the young athletes in this neighborhood. As these youngsters work to hone their craft, it’s important they do so using quality ballfields,” said Bronx Borough Commissioner Rodriguez-Rosa. “Thanks to an investment from the State and Council Member Cohen we are working towards revitalizing these fields so that they can serve athletes and the community for many years to come.”

“With all the recreational activity at Seton Park it is truly one of the gems of Riverdale; but it is no secret that the ballfields are in desperate need of upgrades. I am thrilled to stand with NYC Parks today as we break ground on this reconstruction. I am very proud to have partnered with the State to provide the $1,947,000 needed to make these necessary improvements,” said City Council Member Cohen.

“Seton Park has long been home to recreational sports in Riverdale, and its years of use has left many of the fields in bad shape. I am very excited to see the park getting a much-needed renovation which will create a beautiful space for our community, especially young people, to play sports and stay active,” said Assembly Member Dinowitz. “I am pleased the state legislature provided funding for this project, and am particularly thankful to Council Member Andrew Cohen who provided a significant chunk of money to get this done. Thank you as well to the Department of Parks and Recreation for overseeing this project as I look forward to its completion and am sure our neighborhood kids do too.”

This project will improve the existing baseball and softball infields. Work will include replacing the synthetic turf infield, installing a water bottle filler and basin, and installing bleacher seating for spectators. Additionally, the southeastern entrance will be repaved and new fencing will be installed. Reconstruction of the ballfields is anticipated to be complete in the fall.

Seton Park is named in honor of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, known to her friends and followers as Mother Seton. In addition to this park, Riverdale’s former Seton Hospital, which stood in this exact location, Bayley Seton Hospital in Staten Island, Seton Falls Park and the Elizabeth Seton Campus of Iona College in the Bronx, as well as Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey bear her name. Seton Hospital occupied the present site of this park until 1955, when it was demolished. Seton Park officially opened in the mid?1970s. The park contains several modular jungle gyms, a sprinkler system, an array of basketball and tennis courts, two ballfields, a comfort station and several sitting areas.