Just last Friday, June 6, Governor Patterson announced that RISF, working with NYCEDC, was awarded a $3,183,390 New York State Environmental Protection Fund grant from the Department of State to complete the Bronx Shore Pathway.
This section of the Island-wide waterfront pathway system will run along the Bronx Shore Fields at the Park's northwestern area, just across from the South Bronx, and will offer dedicated bicycle and pedestrian routes and amenities including benches, bicycle racks, lighting and comfort stations. For the first time, this waterfront will be made inviting and accessible, and non-vehicular visitors will be separated from cars and buses, allowing better and safer access to the new fields as well as full enjoyment of the Park's natural shoreline.
In addition, last week the New York State Secretary of State, Lorraine Cortes-Vazquez -- a self-described "East Harlem girl" -- joined Adrian Benepe, Rich Davis, Karen Cohen, Richard Gross and the RIK
Nature kids at our Wetlands Celebration, a $5
million project restoring native salt marsh and
freshwater wetlands at the Little Hell Gate Inlet.
The newest award toward the Bronx Shore Pathway joins millions in other State grants already invested in the Park's waterfront access and environmental projects, and continues to evidence widespread confidence in and commitment to the Island's future.
