Bronx's Bridge Park Opens on Harlem River Waterfront

[All photos via Welcome2theBronx. Click through for more.]

Thursday saw the opening of Bridge Park, the newest green space in The Bronx, Welcome2theBronx reports.

The park was previously known as Washington Bridge Park and was upgraded and restored by the city for around $4.054 million, with funds coming from the offices of
Council Member Vanessa Gibson and Bronx Borough President, Ruben Diaz Jr., as well as from the federal government. Work was actually completed in 2013, but the park only opened on Thursday thanks to ongoing construction along the adjacent I-95.

The park is located in the shadow of High Bridge, which is technically the oldest bridge in New York City. Built in 1848, it has been closed since the 1970 and has undergone extensive repairs in recent years. It is set to reopen on July 25 and community-led celebrations will take place on both sides of the river.

Bridge Park, along with the Special Harlem River Waterfront District project, is part of a concerted effort to "revitalize" the South Bronx waterfront. While the park certainly looks lovely, Ed García Conde of Welcome2theBronx admits that it does have several problems, noting that "you have to be extremely careful when going there, especially if on bike." Unfortunately, this is a sad reality in The Bronx: despite having the most parkland of any borough (most of it is concentrated in Pelham Bay Park and Van Cortlandt Park), getting to and from green space is inconvenient for many Bronx residents.
· Bridge Park Officially Opens in The Bronx Adding Another Along The Harlem River [Welcome2theBronx]
· All Harlem River Waterfront coverage [Curbed]