Blackrock Playground celebrates $1.9M in renovations
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BY PATRICK ROCCHIO
A ribbon cutting was held
for the $1.9 million renovation
of Blackrock Playground in
Soundview on Friday, May 10,
capping off an overhaul that is
part of the city’s Community
Parks Initiative.
The new play area features
new play equipment, swings,
water spray and seating areas,
and it was funded by the mayor’s
offi ce.
Students from nearby P.S.
119 and local residents should
make ample use of it, said William
Rivera, Community Board
9 district manager.
Rivera said that the community
board had tremendous
input with the NYC Parks Department
on its design, and
the board is anticipating the
park’s renaming in memory of
a woman who gave her life in
service to her city.
After receiving unanimous
board support, CB 9 drafted a
letter dated Thursday May 9
to Mitchell Silver, NYC Parks
Department commissioner,
requesting that the park be
named or co-named in honor
of FDNY-EMT Yadira Arroyo,
who on March 16, 2017 was
tragically killed in the line of
A ribbon cutting for $1.9 million in renovations to Black Rock Playground took place on Friday, May 10.
Photo courtesy of NYC Parks
duty after being dragged and
run over at Watson Avenue and
White Plains Road, which is
very close to Blackrock Playground.
Arroyo left behind fi ve
sons.
She was assigned to Station
26, where she would periodically
feed the homeless in
McKinley Square Park across
the street from the station, according
to several of her former
co-workers, said Rivera, who
was a FDNY-EMT for years.
“The community board believes
that this proposal of esteem
and recognition is the
least we could do as a community
for FDNY-EMT Yadiro Arroyo,”
states the CB 9 letter to
Silver, adding that “in March
2020, we hope to have the offi -
cial naming of Yadira Arroyo
Park as part of her third anniversary.”
Assemblywoman Karines
Reyes supports the CB 9 request.
“EMT Yadira Arroyo was a
true public servant who gave
her life for this community,”
stated Reyes in a Friday, May
10 letter, adding that Arroyo
took care of those in need and
as a registered nurse, the assemblywoman
knows how
important her job is and has
immense respect for her sacrifi
ce.”
Reyes added: “A very fi tting
tribute to her service and
sacrifi ce would be renaming
Blackrock Playground…in her
honor.”
Rivera said that he is in the
process of getting letters of support
from the principal of P.S.
119 and the FDNY’s Hispanic
Society.
“Every line of duty death
is horrible, but this one especially
touched the people in my
district,” said Rivera.
As a they await a decision,
children in the community
have a new playground, which
includes a water sprinkler area
designed to link play areas for
older and younger children,
as well as new plantings and
improved drainage and water
supply systems.
“The transformation of
Black Rock playground is incredible,”
said Silver. “I recall
the way it looked when we fi rst
broke ground, and I am thrilled
to see how this space has been
reconstructed and renewed for
parkgoers of every generation
to enjoy.”
NYC’s Community Parks
Initiative is reinvesting in
smaller public parks throughout
the Bronx.
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