Notes - Bronx River Alliance – Greenway Team meeting -25 March 2013 6:30pm The Point

  1. Introductions

Attendees (affiliation/s):

Adam Derouin (Mount Saint Vincent College)

Rich Gans (Transportation Alternatives Bronx Committee+)

Rosiemary Gómez (A.C.T.I.O.N.)

Jill Guidera (Transportation Alternatives)

Maggie Greenfield (Bronx River Alliance)

Elizabeth Hamby (Transportation Alternatives Bronx Committee+)

Joe Linton (Bronx River Alliance) note-taker

Nilka Martell (Getting Involved in Virginia Avenue Efforts+)

Connor Melamed (Mount Saint Vincent College)

Hatuey Ramos-Fermin (BRAC+)

Andre Rivera (Bronx River Alliance Education Team+)

Rebecca Rosado (The Point – A.C.T.I.O.N.)

Andrew Simplicio (Mount Saint Vincent College)

David Shuffler (Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice)

Julien Terrell, co-chair (Weact+)

  1. Greenway 2013 Work Plan – Maggie

Maggie reviewed Bronx River Alliance Greenway Program 2013 document. Goals include: Building the greenway, promoting use of the greenway, maintain/strengthen relationships with partners/agencies, and fostering the sustainability of the greenway.

2013 specific goals: Starlight Park Bridge the Gap campaign, Yonkers connection, on-street connections to Concrete Plant Park, and River House.

  1. Bridge the Gap campaign to build Phase 2 of Starlight Park – Joe

Joe presented basic background of Bridge the Gap campaign – to build the second phase of Starlight Park, including three new bridges – one over Amtrak, and two over the river. Campaign is gathering petition signatures, and getting organizations to sign on to a Letter of Support. Both petition and LOS urge mayor and governor to take leadership on bridging the gap.

Discussion on additional ways to raise visibility and make campaign successful:

-Reach out to park users, this summer, weekends

-Bike rides

-Video with 3d rendering: Joe working with volunteer art student to do 3d model fly-through video. Requested assistance: Rebecca, Hatuey and Andre to assist with writing, producing video.

-Door to door canvassing: Alliance (Joseph Sanchez and Joe) doing some door to door fliering to announce that park is open and phase 2 is coming later. Canvassing to continue, request to definitely reach Bronx River Avenue neighbors who back up to the park. Joe to recruit volunteers to assist with canvassing.

-Walking tour for Greenway Team: Joe to organize walking tour (s) to show the locations where bridges will be located.

-Discussion of parking issues: Parking is already an issue, with little resolution in sight. Starlight will have a small parking lot in 2015 (when River House is completed.) Bronx River Alliance working on a flier to show suggested parking locations.

-Work with schools: Joe to follow up with contacts at nearby schools – through YMPJ, The Point, and BRAC contacts.

  1. Friends of Starlight Park – Nilka

Nilka reported that, working with Andre Rivera and Morgan Powell, she’s forming a new stewardship group called Friends of Starlight Park. They are planning a kick-off event on May 4th, to include tree stewardship and river bank clean-up.

  1. Proposed Public Art Installation/s to Highlight Starlight Park Connections – Elizabeth

Elizabeth reported that she and Hatuey (working as MetaLocal) are looking to partner with communities to create some sort of public art installations that connect to and celebrate Starlight Park. They anticipate doing some sorts of project there this summer – and are requesting ideas, collaborators, suggestions, etc. Suggestions from the Team included:

  • murals under the 174th Street (supported/recommended by State Assemblymember Crespo)
  • using technology to do meet-up (similar to Bronx Museum project)
  • telling the story of community members who’ve fought for this park
  • engage folks who haven’t already been involved in Greenway efforts
  • collaborate with BRAC’s chair project this summer
  1. Ribbon-Cutting Starlight Park – tentatively FridayMay 10th 2013 – all

Starlight opened quietly in January 2013, but hasn’t yet had its official ribbon-cutting. There is no definite date set, but Friday May 10th has been floated for a ribbon-cutting event. Discussion of how to take advantage of the visibility that will come from this – and how to message in a way that’s generally supportive of the new park, but still focused on completing phase 2. YMPJ is also planning to host an opening for the people of the community around the park, possibly including a hip-hop concert.

  1. Elections of new Greenway Team chairs and representative to Alliance board of directors – Julien

David Shuffler and Hatuey Ramos-Fermin self-nominated and were elected as the Greenway Team’s 2013 Co-Chairs

  1. Usership (bike/ped, etc.) counts – Joe

Time was running out, Joe announced that the Alliance is looking to do some counts of bicyclists and pedestrians and that he would follow up with the group via email. Nilka responded that Friends of Starlight Park may be able to assist with user counts at Starlight Park, during their regular events.

  1. Brief Greenway Project updates (Shoelace to Muskrat, Pelham Parkway Crossing, Ranaqua bikeway, West Farms Rapids, East Tremont Plaza, and other projects) – Joe

Joe distributed spreadsheet with brief status on ten Bronx River Greenway projects underway. Highlights:

  • Ranaqua Connection (180th to Birchall) expected to open late 2013
  • West Farms Rapids (E. Tremont to 180th) long stalled project expected to resume construction in late April, should be completed by end of 2013
  • East Tremont Plaza (177th to E. Tremont at Devoe) postponed and may need attention in future Greenway meeting.
  1. Announcements – all
  • Rich (and Elizabeth): bike tours of Bronx Parks: June 15th and September 14th
  • Rebecca: Town Hall at The Point April 9th 6-8pm, Fish Parade June 15th
  • Julien: Santiago, Cuba solidarity event this Saturday at ElevenNinety-Nine