Testimony for Waterfront Park 3-16-06

ULURP Hearing on the Reconstruction of the Willis Avenue Bridge
Offering opportunity for waterfront access, recreation and revitalization
Friends of Brook Park Testimony
March 16, 2006

Good morning. My name is Harry J. Bubbins, Director of Friends of Brook Park (FoBP), the South, South Bronx based environmental, arts and sustainable development organization. FoBP is committed to ensuring that our Mott Haven, Melrose and Port Morris communities enjoy waterfront access and amenities.

The Reconstruction of the Willis Avenue Bridge is an important priority that will unfortunately have significant negative impact on our natural environment and on our local community. As outlined in the proposal by the New York City and State Departments of Transportation the currently proposed project calls for a large amount of infill into a fragile ecosystem of the Harlem River. The location of the infill, just north of Randall’s island and the Bronx Kill will detrimentally impact the wildlife of the area, the aquatic life of the water as well as the hawks, herons, egrets and swans that thrive is this immediate area. There will need to be some kind of mitigation of this infill on the natural habitat.

In addition, traffic in our community, which already has the highest rates of asthma in the nation, will further impact our overburdened community.

Fortunately, the lead agencies are ready and able to offer a package of community benefits that could do much to allay the burdens our Gateway to the Bronx must endure. It has been made clear by the NYC and NYS DOT and the lease holder of the Harlem River Rail yards, that the government agencies are preparing a package that could amount in the millions of dollars to selected entities impacted by this proposed reconstruction. Waste Management, one of the largest and most profitable garbage handlers in the world, will be paid market rate for land and structures it operates on the waterfront, and the Harlem River Rail Yards will also be compensated to some undisclosed amount.

It is entirely reasonable then for our elected officials to include in any support of this ULURP item a comparable series of benefits for the actual community, to offset the environmental and other impacts of this $300 million plus project.

The immediate area of concern has very little tree canopy and no official waterfront access. Our Bronx Borough President and City Council members from the 8th and 17th Districts as well as the entire Bronx can include in any support for this project:

• Creation of a Waterfront Park on NYSDOT held land
at the terminus of Park Avenue

• Monies to implement community designed site

• Shoreline restoration and natural habitat on and along proposed infill area

The support of Community Board #1 for this project was specifically contingent upon the first two of these items.

The Park Avenue site was identified after much evaluation as a short term achievable goal and is included in the recently passed Port Morris Rezoning Plan as a “Priority Access Point”. There has been an extensive planning and design series in partnership with the New Yorkers for parks to create a design vision for the site that will include green space, tree plantings, benches and seating areas, a sculpture garden corridor and canoe and kayak launching.

The role of local elected officials in the ULURP process is to evaluate initiatives and offer input, suggestions and requirements along the way. We are confident that our elected officials will spearhead a creative collaboration with the NYC and NYS DOT’s to ameliorate significant impacts and address longstanding inequities with this unique opportunity.

Thank you.