Starlight Park

What was here before? 
This was once the property of William Waldorf Astor (1848–1919), a businessman, philanthropist, and member of the very wealthy Astor family.

In 1918, the Bronx International Exposition of Science, Arts, and Industries opened on the site. It was meant to attract both local and international crowds with a focus on new technology and foreign trade following World War I. The fair failed to gain a massive following mainly because of the war and closed a year later. Starlight Park, an amusement park with rollercoasters, pools, and other concessions, opened in 1920. By the 1930s, the park was in decline and finally closed in the 1940s.

How did this site become a park? 
The facility became the property of Consolidated Edison Company and was used as a standby plant for gas storage until it was sold to the City in 1945 to be turned into an expressway and park.

Construction of the Sheridan Expressway began in 1958 and was completed in 1962. The park opened to the public in 1963 as Sheridan Fields, after Bronx Borough President Arthur V. Sheridan (1888-1952).

The park, bordered by the Bronx River, was renamed in 1996 in homage to the former amusement park. It features a pair of grass baseball fields, playgrounds, and basketball courts.

In 2023, a link to the Bronx River Greenway was created, and two new bridges were built to connect the east and west sides of the river to greenspaces and amenities. New features included paths, landscaping, sitting areas, and a dog run. The project also connected Starlight Park’s ballfields, playgrounds, boat launch, and the Bronx River House, a community educational facility and boathouse.