Mayor de Blasio, speaker Heastie reveal Edenwald recreational facility

Bronx, NY Mayor Bill de Blasio, assembly speaker Carl Heastie, New York City Economic Development Corp. (NYCEDC) president Maria Torres-Springer and local elected officials revealed the selection of the YMCA of Greater New York to construct a recreational facility in the Edenwald neighborhood of the borough.

“For years people in this community have been calling for a place they can bring their families to get healthy and have fun,” said mayor de Blasio. “Today your calls have been heard and they have been answered. This 50,000 s/f YMCA will serve thousands of Bronx residents, including many families living in NYCHA. It will also create one hundred good paying jobs. I want to thank speaker Heastie and so many community leaders for helping make this recreational facility a reality.”

Built alongside NYCHA’s Edenwald Houses, the new recreational facility will provide thousands of low-income families with a community hub, including two swimming pools, a full length basketball court, gym facilities, an indoor track, a wellness center, a childcare facility and multi-purpose rooms. The project has been pursued by assembly speaker Heastie and Bronx officials for decades, and is finally poised to move forward.

The facility will also feature a full suite of YMCA programming for all ages, including:

• After school educational programs;

• Youth day camps and holiday camps during school breaks;

• A teen center;

• Swimming lessons for all ages and skill levels;

• Diabetes prevention programs;

• Family programs that encourage parental participation in recreation and health;

• Personal training and group exercise classes, such as aerobics, step classes, Zumba, spin, yoga and martial arts;

• Senior adult programs, including health and wellness programming, arthritis water exercise and social activities; and

• Civics classes and other programs for new Americans.

The Edenwald YMCA will create 101 new construction jobs, as well as 100 new permanent jobs that pay a living wage. As part of the administration’s efforts to expand economic opportunities for people in the borough, the YMCA has also committed to a 35% minority- and women-owned business enterprises (MWBE) contracting goal for design and construction, and will engage in local hiring efforts through NYCEDC’s HireNYC program.

The project will also include 200 new parking spaces.

Construction on the Edenwald recreational facility is expected to begin in fall 2018 and be completed in early 2020.

“This new recreational facility will help make the Edenwald community even stronger, giving New Yorkers of all ages the chance to exercise and spend time with friends and neighbors,” said New York City Economic Development Corporation President Maria Torres-Springer. “NYCEDC is proud to be working with Speaker Heastie, Borough President Diaz, Council Member King, State Senator Hassell-Thompson, the YMCA, and so many other community leaders to make this longtime dream a reality for the people of the Bronx.”

“The YMCA is dedicated to building a stronger, healthier and more connected New York City by creating centers of community that support personal achievement and a sense of belonging,” said Sharon Greenberger, President and CEO of the YMCA of Greater New York. “We look forward to working hand in hand with the Edenwald community to develop a new state-of-the-art YMCA.”

The YMCA is also committed to ensuring that membership is accessible to families at all income levels. YMCA membership dues vary by location and are determined by the economics of the area. Membership and program fees are made affordable to residents at different income levels through YMCA’s Financial Assistance Program, and no one is turned away because of inability to pay.

Located at 1250 East 229th Street, the recreational facility will sit on the eastern portion of the larger Edenwald site, which is under the jurisdiction of the New York City Administration for Children’s Services and currently includes the Christopher School and two cottages for children with special needs. The site is in close proximity to several NYCHA developments, including Edenwald Houses, the largest NYCHA development in the Bronx, as well as the Edenwald Community Center, neighborhood playgrounds and Seton Falls Park, a 30-acre preserved natural wetland. The new facility is also close to multiple public transit options and the Boston Road commercial corridor in the immediate vicinity.

The Edenwald YMCA will help address the significant need for recreational space in the North Bronx. Bronx Community District 12, which includes Edenwald, has approximately 3.1 acres of parks and playgrounds per 1,000 children, far below the citywide average of 13.3 acres. The recreational facility is expected to serve over 25,000 New Yorkers by year four of operations.

By providing much needed recreation space and amenities to residents, the Edenwald community facility will help meet Mayor de Blasio’s goal of creating environments that encourage New Yorkers to be more active by increasing opportunities for physical activity and recreation, as laid out in One New York: The Plan for a Strong and Just City (OneNYC). OneNYC is a comprehensive plan that establishes bold goals and specific targets for a strong, sustainable, resilient and equitable city for all New Yorkers by addressing profound social, economic and environmental challenges.