Community Board #10

The New York City Charter allows community boards to offer advisory opinions on the formulation of the City’s capital and expense budgets. One area that the Board has worked very hard on, are improvements to our City’s parks. As home to the city’s largest park, Pelham Bay, Community Board 10 is avidly interested in improvements to this park, as well as all of the other parks within the Board’s service area. Recently, as a result of advocacy efforts on the part of the Board, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation has announced plans to significantly upgrade the following parks: Hawkins Street Park on City Island, Veterans Memorial Park in Throggs Neck, Ferry Point Park, Owen Dolan and Pelham Bay Park. These improvements range from a significant re-design of the parks, in the case of Owen Dolan and Ferry Point, to moderate renovation and re-design of Hawkins Street and Veterans Memorial Parks, to the conceptual re-design of the dog run in Pelham Bay Park. The Board will continue its efforts to assess and advocate for improvements to the other parks within the board’s service areas. The Parks and Recreation Committee of the Board invites the public to all of its meetings. Please contact the board for dates of the meetings.

In a past column, the board informed the readers that the North Bronx Health Care Network, featuring Jacobi Hospital, which has made an extensive commitment to providing very high quality health care, particularly to women who are expecting. The hospital’s ambulatory care facility, offers quality prenatal care, birthing, and after birth care. Additionally, educational, nutritional services and enhanced women’s care are offered. Other quality services provided include an expanded emergency room, improved respiratory and children’s health care units, and trauma center. The board suggests that all of the residents within its service area visit Jacobi Hospital and learn about its many fine services.

The board has learned that the New York State Department of State is seeking grant applications from community organizations, to participate in the Brownfield Opportunity Areas (BOA) Program. Eligible applicants include municipalities and community organizations interested in redeveloping and revitalizing brownfields. Brownfields are generally former industrial/commercial sites that require remediation efforts. The grants offer applicants an opportunity to receive economic assistance to redevelop areas affected by brownfirelds, abandoned buildings and economic distress. Additional information on completing the applications can be obtained by contacting the Department of State at (518) 474-6000 or at http://www.nyswaterfronts.com/BOA_package.asp.

The board routinely receives information from a variety of agencies that offer services or conferences. For those concerned with the shaping of alcohol and drug abuse services in our City, the New York City Federation of Mental Health and Mental Retardation and Alcoholism Services is sponsoring a “Help Shape the Future of Alcoholism and Drug Use Services” in the Bronx on Wednesday, November 12, from 6 to 8 pm at 198 E. 161st Street. Additional information can be obtained by contacting Ms. Edwards at (718) 402-0066 or Mr. LaBoy at (718) 598-1390. The Childhood Abuse Prevention Program or CAPP offers quality Child Safety Workshops in schools, which teach children to assess and report any instances of child abuse to authorities. Additionally, the CAPP program further provides training for teachers, and offers clothing and other personal needs items. Additional information can be obtained by contacting CAPP at 212-344-1902. The University Behavioral Associates, in conjunction with Montefiore Hospital and Medical Center is offering a new program designed to support marriages and families, through it Supporting Healthy Marriage (SHM) Program. This is a research program designed to provide techniques and skills to foster positive family relations in the Bronx. Additional information can be obtained by contacting (718) 401-5050 or 1-877-401-UBAI (8221). The Pelham Bay Library will be conducting training in Microsoft Word on Thursday, November 20 from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Pre-registration is required. Please contact (718) 792-6744. This is an excellent opportunity for people to learn a valuable job related skill, or to simply enhance one’s computer skills. On Saturday, November 22, the Pelham Bay Library will be conducting a concert with offerings from such diverse composers as Beethoven, Chopin, Scott Joplin and Gershwin. The concert is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. And it is offered at no cost.

The board office is ready to assist you with any problem or concern that you may be having with a city agency. Our office is opened from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Our phone number is (718) 892-1161, fax number is (718) 863-6860 and our e-mail is BX10@CB.nyc.gov.