– BRONX PARK EAST GETS $450,000 INVESTMENT-
On Thursday, May 7th, Councilman Ritchie Torres’ announced the top five vote-getters for his Inaugural “Participatory Budgeting” project in his 15th City Council District.
Thanks to the tremendous 3-day “Get-Out-The-Vote” effort by 17 Bronx Park East Community Association “B-PECA” members in front of P.S. 96, our Ballot Item #7 for Bronx Park East Renovations received the 2nd-highest vote count of all 12 items on the PB Ballot!
The five projects with the highest vote counts will now be funded with $1 million in tax-payer Capital Funds from the Councilman’s Budget!
We were only 50 or so votes shy of being the top vote-getter, closely tailing the NYPD Security Camera funding proposal.
B-PECA’s efforts – which engaged over 100 16 & 17-year olds in voting for the first time – contributed over 500 votes to the 1,323 total received to help revive our neglected green space.
That is mammoth: THANK YOU to everyone who was a part of our successful volunteer efforts!
I will sure to be in close contact with Councilman Torres’ office over the next few weeks to make sure this $450,000, along with Senator Klein’s $500,000, is invested in an efficient and immediate way to reconstruct the dilapidated basketball courts and playground equipment of Bronx Park East’s Waring Playground.
Waring Playground has not seen an ounce of Capital investment in over 25 years, but the times they are a changin’.
Power to the People: After all, we know the best ways to invest our tax dollars into our community.
Thank you to Councilman Ritchie Torres’ for being one of 3 bold Bronx Council Members to engage in the NYC Participatory Budget process!
– Albany Bus Date Change! –
In last week’s column it was stated that there are two days that Tenant advocates are going to Albany to insist on strengthening the New York Rent Laws that expire this June.
One date has changed, so please note that the free buses will be going to Albany on Wednesday, May 27th and Tuesday, June 9th.
You will also be given a free breakfast and lunch, provided by the Metropolitan Council on Housing and other sponsoring organizations.
2015 is the Year of the Tenant: Be a Part of The Movement to Save Our Homes!
For information on the exact departures times and locations of the buses to Albany, email bxparkeast@gmail.comor call/text 347-654-7044.
– Combatting Veterans Issues –
On Friday, May 15 from 8:30am – 12 Noon join Jacobi Medical Center at their 5th Annual Mental Health Conference. Sponsored by the Joint Jacobi Medical Center and North Central Bronx Hospital Community Advisory Board, as well as the Jacobi Medical Center Auxiliary Inc., Military Vets and everyone else are invited to take part in a variety of information sessions on Veterans Issues.
The registration and breakfast begins at 8am in the Jacobi Medical Center Conference Center, which is Building 4 on the 2nd floor, at 1400 Pelham Parkway South (by Eastchester Road).
Discussion topics include the following:
1. “Mental Illness and Military Culture”, with Wendy Burch the Executive Director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), NYS.
2. “Homelessness Amongst Veterans”, with Christopher Munn, Director of Resident Operations for Central New York Services, and Linda Wilkinson, Director of the Homeless Management Information System.
3. “Operation SAVE: Suicide Prevention in the VA”, with Evan R. Pdolak, Psy.D, who is the Suicide Prevention Coordinator for the James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
4. “Legislative Affairs for Veterans”, with New York State Assemblyman Michael Benedetto.
5. “PFC Dwyer/Vet 2 Vet Project”, with Jeff McQueen the Director of Consumer Link, who also directs the PFC Dwyer/Vet 2 Vet Project.
6. “Value of Dog Therapy for Veterans”, with Roberto Rodriguez, Outreach Supervisor for the Stand Up To Violence (SUV) Project of Jacobi Medical Center.
To register for the conference, call 718-918-6038.
– American Legion Meeting –
If you know any Veterans, please also let them know that this Sunday, May 17th at 11:30am is the monthly American Legion meeting inside the Morris Park Community Association building at 1824 Bronxdale Avenue.
There, Veterans of all ages and stripes are invited to come get to know other former soldiers of our community and talk about issues that are important to them.
Everyone is invited to attend.
On the subject of meetings, B-PECA’s monthly meeting on the 2nd Thursday of the month is being pushed back due to the May 14th Tenant March, and so many other events going on.
You will be informed soon via facebook and text message, as well as in this column, as to when our monthly meeting will take place.
Until then, please communicate what’s on your mind in Allerton & Pelham Parkway by calling/texting 347-654-7044, emailing bxparkeast@gmail.com or being a part of our facebook group at www.facebook.com/groups/
Power to the Youth!
Sincerely,
Raphael Schweizer
Chair & Co-Founder, Bronx Park East Community Association “B-PECA”
“Advocating for the Residents of Allerton & Pelham Parkway in the Bronx”
Phone/Text: (347) 654-7044
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/
“Hundreds of Teenagers like these made Councilman Ritchie Torres’ Participatory Budgeting a success: $450,000 will now go towards basketball court and playground renovations for them to enjoy!”
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