BRONX TIMES REPORTER, A 56 PRIL 19-25, 2019 BTR
SOUNDVIEW COMMUNITY DRUG FREE COALITION MEETS IN APRIL
THE BRONX TIMES REPORTER
EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT
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The Soundview Community Drug Free Coalition met on Tuesday, April 9 at Odyssey House. The coalition
enjoyed an insightful presentation by Robert Spencer on District Attorney Darcel Clark’s CONCEPT
Program.
(Above) The Soundview Community Drug Free Coalition held a productive meeting with its partners
and collaborators. Photo by Silvio Pacifi co
BY DOROTHEA POGGI
So much is going on I
haven’t had time to write.
The restroom at Ferry
Point Park is being appreciated
by thousands of people
each weekend. Our 60 volunteers
at the upcoming waterfront
clean-up on Friday, May
3 and the 100 high school students
enjoying a fi eld day on
Friday, May 24 will be glad it
exists. Our thanks again for
all who helped get this project
done. These students are from
Pelham Lab on the Lehman HS
Campus and have participated
for at least fi ve years now. We
appreciate their help.
Stop by to spend time at this
park while it is occupied by
our volunteers. Enjoy the energy
and the views. To locate
me at the park I will have my
cell with me at (917) 741-2768. I
have been working on a visual
‘Tour and Intro Book’ of Ferry
Point golf, park, waterways
and more. I will invite Ferry
Point Community Advocates
and others to view this soon.
Ferry Point Park is looking
forward to a future ferry stop
to extend the Hornblower NYC
East River Route. This is an
asset to our city in general, the
Bronx especially and Throggs
Neck community specifi cally.
Friends of Ferry Point Park
and Ferry Point Community
Advocates both supported a
ferry stop at this large park for
many years.
I have advocated for ‘Blue
Highway’ additions to Ferry
Point Park since 1999 (kayak,
duck bus, ferry). On May 15,
2008 Mayor Bloomberg announced
plans to add ferry
service in the Bronx Times
with an article by Adam Bermudez.
Councilman James Vacca
was quoted as very much in
favor of the extended route. I
attended the July 16, 2009 public
hearing at Riverdale Temple
when Waterbury LaSalle
forwarded me an email invite
that Council Speaker Christine
Quinn sent out.
Both I and Ken Kerns, district
manager of Community
Board 10, along with Vacca
were in attendance and submitted
comments in favor of
extending ferry service to
Throggs Neck and Co-op City.
I also served on the MWA
Bronx Ferry Committee meetings
held at CB 9. Some people
are surprised by this project.
All I can say is, “You have to
be alert and responsive to your
larger community to protect
your smaller neighborhood”.
This week I hope to attend
a meeting to discuss an Army
Corp of Engineers proposal to
construct fl ood gates on the
Hutchinson River.
Brush Avenue is ‘hanging
in there’ with its mixed uses
of warehouses, delivery, storage,
repair, residential and retail.
Of course we have problems.
Add to these problems
the nightlife on Schley Avenue.
‘Street life’, and you have
a lively situation. Any weekend
with good weather brings
hundreds of cars, motorcycles
and their fans to witness spin
outs, wheelies and plain partying.
The 45th Precinct has
been working hard to help but
does not seem to have the affect
needed to stop it. I recommend
ear plugs attached to an
I-pod in the garden and earplugs
while you sleep.
Last month I held the
BCEQ Board meeting at my
house and we enjoyed plenty
of food, facts and fun. Most of
the agenda was nominations
for next elected class of BCEQ
directors, planning for annual
membership/election meeting
and annual Spring Water
Conference. The Bronx Borough
Commissioner of Parks
Iris Rodriguez-Rosa and the
regional manager Daniel
Reynolds, stopped by to view
the short version of the Ferry
Point Park (Wish List) for the
future of this soon to be ferry
stop with parking before the
meeting.
The ongoing parking of
three tractor trailers has increased
to six, from four different
companies. These
trailers take up at least four
parking spots each - so that’s
24 spots usurped by illegal
use. Illegally parked trailers
with no cab, cabs with no trailers,
overnight and all weekend
has become a dangerous
situation. The high trailers
block the two sharp curves on
Brush Avenue and narrow the
street to one lane, forcing cars
to cross the yellow line.
With drag racing each
weekend, we are just headed
for a very bad head on collision.
My husband’s car was
already destroyed by a drag
racer. The trucks need to
have their wheels booted to
make this practice stop. As
Narvardo Lopez of NYC Department
of Transportation
warned the people who petitioned
to have the parking enforcement
signs removed, the
problem would return as soon
as the ‘No standing 10pm to
5am signs came down.
The signs were put up for a
reason. This problem will not
be solved until the DOT produces
signage that says ‘No
Commercial Standing’ or until
parking summonses cost
more than the legal parking
lots charge.
Well meaning, but with no
foresight, residents removed
most of the parking along the
Hutchinson Parkway South
Service Road (to get rid of
school buses that had invaded
our neighborhood) which was
the least obnoxious place for
trailers and some residents
to park overnight. Although
truck parking tickets may
add up to hundreds of dollars,
it is still cheaper than legal
paid parking which adds up
to thousands. A no standing
sign and white lines should be
placed from 555 Hutchinson
River Parkway South Service
Road to Schley Avenue to keep
the trailers from blocking all
view of Schley Avenue traffi c.
The scheduled meeting of
the CAB of Acacia Network at
the Old Capri Motel was an interesting
meeting. The homeless
shelter is well run and
our neighborhood is glad that
we have had little to complain
about since its inception. We
have asked on our Facebook
Network for people to drop off
‘Interview’ clothing for men
and women to wear during
their attempts at getting jobs
or getting better jobs. Ferry
Point Community Advocates
has gathered some clothing
and dropped it off. We also
post whatever jobs we fi nd
on Bronx Eyes on Homeless.
Friends of Ferry Point Park
are working with NYC Parks
and Crystal’s Place to set up
children’s events in the park.
Please note that 2800
Bruckner Boulevard, Miracle
City, will be presenting its
new drug rehab plan at CB 10.
This is a meeting for information
only. CB10 did not set it up
for public participation. The
meeting is Tuesday, April 23
at 7 p.m. at 3165 E. Tremont
Avenue.
Please send letters of concern
to your community board
offi ce. I know there are many
who are worried that this addition
to our community is not a
positive move and that we teeter
on having quality of life issues
affected negatively. Studies
show that a drug clinic/
wellness center brings crime
equal to a liquor store. Studies
show an 8% or more decrease
in property values surrounding
the center within oneeighth
of a mile.
Our main Facebook Group
is Bronx Community Board 10
Concerned Neighbors. Check
it out and from there you will
see many pages that relate to
our area or to the Bronx in
general.
Enjoy your spring. It goes
by so fast.