Soundview Park

The Daily Plant : Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Parks Cuts The Ribbon On New Track And Field At Soundview Park

Photo by Malcolm Pinckney

On August 5, NYC Parks' Bronx Borough Commissioner Hector M. Aponte joined Congress Member Jose E. Serrano, State Senator Rev. Ruben Diaz Sr., State Assembly Member Marcos Crespo, Representative to the Bronx Borough President Wilhelm Ronda, and children from the Eclipse Track and Field Club, Hunts Point Recreation Center and West Bronx Recreation Center, in celebrating the opening of Soundview Park's new track and field. The ribbon cutting ceremony took place at the park on Morrison Avenue and Lafayette Avenue.

“Residents of the Bronx now have another means of getting active and staying fit at Soundview Park's brand new track and field,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP. “Parks are not only green spaces, they are public spaces, and with the completion of this new recreational amenity, residents of all ages will enjoy enhanced opportunities to gather with neighbors and engage in active recreation.”

This $6 million project was funded through the City's PlaNYC initiative. Designed by Thomas Balsley Associates, the rubberized 400-meter regulation running track includes areas for pole vault, high jump, long jump, and triple jump. The project also includes a synthetic turf soccer field, bleacher seating, adult fitness units, a misting station, landscaping, and lighting for evening play.

Additional phases of the Soundview Park project include reconstructing the existing playground while building a new comfort station at Metcalf Avenue. A natural amphitheater with a performance lawn will be constructed in line with Roseland Avenue, alongside a new park entrance and pathway.

Soundview Park is a 205 acre park built on a former landfill. Called "the Gateway to the Bronx River," Soundview Park is situated where the Bronx River opens into the East River. The Bronx River is the only freshwater river in New York City. With its extensive views, Soundview Park celebrates the beauty of the Bronx waterfront.

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

"The measure of who we are is what we do with what we have."

Vince Lombardi
(1913 - 1970)