Community Welcomes Newly Renovated Van Nest Park

IMG_9417 1After years of fighting for a new playground, community members and children are finally able to welcome a new Van Nest Park.

Last Friday community members, local politicians, and NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver joined together for a ribbon cutting ceremony in Van Nest Park. Children from the Bronx Charter School of Excellence were the first children who were able to play in the new park as they got to spend some time in the sunshine. “It is so important that we bring these incredible open spaces to people so that they and their families can enjoy. This beautifully redesigned park which honors this community’s history will once again be a beloved public space for this neighborhood.” said Commissioner Silver.

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NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver

The new Van Nest Park includes a spray shower, updated playground equipment, a play house, and a seating area for board games all with a railroad theme. Adding a special touch of history is a Ticket Booth play house that has a bell similar to the ones used to signal a train coming into a station.

Renovation of the park was made possible by Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. who provided $500,000 in capital funding as well as Council Members James Vacca and Ritchie Torres who also allocated funding for the $1.35 million project. “Parks are very important to children and it forms memories that they will remember when they are older. They will remember who they played with, the fun they had, and this will be part of who they will become as an adult.” said Bronx Borough President Diaz addressing the crowd.

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Van Nest Neighborhood Alliance Counsel Bob Nolan

Others in attendance for the ribbon cutting were Assemblymen Mark Gjonaj and Luis Sepulveda, Senator Gustavo Rivera, Council Member James Vacca, Community Board 11 Chairman Tony Vitaliano, and Van Nest Neighborhood Alliance Counsel Bob Nolan. The theme of caring for parks, as opposed to simply maintaining them, has been heavily emphasized by Commissioner Silver with similar sentiment being shared by Council Member Vacca by reminding everyone that it was also the community’s responsibility to keep the park clean from garbage as well preventing graffiti.

Many Van Nest residents feel hopeful that the new park will represent a continuing trend of improvement and increased accessibility of community based projects. Counsel to the Van Nest Neighborhood Alliance, Bob Nolan closed the ceremony by reminding the children that, “This is a truly historic day for the Van Nest community, over the past 20 years our loss of schools have been great. But since that time, the Van Nest Neighborhood Alliance has been fighting hard to rejuvenate our community and will continue to do so.”

Featured photo courtesy of Bronx Borough Ruben Diaz, Jr. office.

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