OUR ARCHIVES ARE ALWAYS UNDER CONSTRUCTION

                          check in ocasionally we will put the most current articles/letters on top

Past Articles/Letters:

Dotti's writes about her reasons for getting involved in the renovation of the Park of her youth ....

- I was happy to see the Park being used by so many people on the weekends.

- The soccer court near Schley Avenue is always a bustle of families enjoying their Sunday.

-(As a child) I played in this park. (As a adolescent) I escaped and drew pictures of the park. (As an adult) I exercised and contemplated life as I looked at the sky and water. I realized I have spent countless hours in Ferry Point Park, (Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter). It was always a "great day of races", or "a great sunrise", "a great run", "a great walk", "a great sunset". I actually thought it would always be there for every generation to experience.

A view of New York City from a Bronx hilltop.

-In 2001 I led the fight against the proposed route of the Iroquois Natural Gas Pipeline that was already down from Canada to Long Island and at this point they wanted to cross LI Sound and come up on the East side of the Throggs Next Bridge cross over in front of the toll booths to Locust Point and then run along side the expressway through the business area, past Throggs Neck Houses, St. Raymonds cemetery under the Hutchinson River Parkway and Msgr. Scanlon High School to Brush Ave. or come up in Ferry Point Park and run to Brush Ave. Either way they wanted to use Ferry Point Park as a staging ground, destroying all trees and making everything a big muddy mess.

- In the Summer of 2004 I lost my dog and had to go through the park to find her (knowing she would be drawn by the smell of the food cooking.)

- I was shocked at the difference in the attitude of the people and the condition of the Park once I got past the visibility of the street area. It was wild, dirty and illegal. There were countless obvious illegal vendors, arguments, garbage and beer all around. The many garbage cans supplied by the Parks Dept. were almost empty in the middle of people sitting on debris. Who's running this league????There were no portosans or restrooms and as you passed the waterfront women squatted all along the sand. The wildlife areas had grown drunk men and small children pulling up their pants as they had finished relieving themselves. I had to turn my head slowly so I could change my view as my eyes focused on many men relieving themselves directly into the woods or behind a tree.

- Once I got passed the Adult Male Soccer League frenzy, I was amazed at the sustained natural beauty of this Park. The outrageous views of the historic East River, the cool breeze, the romantic initials and hearts carved in the old trees, the huge boulder that always seemed to landmark the top of the hill where the original Bathroom and Fountain Trough held many memories. The fishermen were undisturbed by the frenzy of dust, beer and soccer in the center of the Park. Tranquility reigned on the south shore of Ferry Point Park.

...Not long after that experience, another person who loves Ferry Point Park came to me and explained how hard he had been working to give these Park visitors a safer and healthier experience. He mentioned how hard it has been to get a few safety and health concerns addressed. He showed me letters full of promises from our Councilwoman Madeline Provensano (at the time) other Elected Officials and the Parks Department. We took a walking tour to assess the problems that needed immediate attention. All his work and there were still so many basic security and health issues to address.

I already knew that Ferry Point was included in the Soundview Greenway and the Hutchinson River Greenway,

CLICK ON LINK FOR NYC PARKS MASTER PLAN FOR SOUNVIEW/FERRYPOINT/HUTCH GREENWAY

GREENWAY SOUNDVIEW TO FERRY POINT

so my hopes had been high...from 2000, I waited...When the neglect of the Park was obvious, I felt there must be an underlying reason for such blatant neglect. I saw numerous improvements in the surrounding parks. I read constantly about revitalization of the wetlands and parks of the Bronx, I saw Soundview Park become a huge beautiful Park, I heard from "Bronxites" about the maintenance and improvements of a great pool, tennis court, baseball fields, bicycle paths, basketball courts, handball courts etc. in Crotona Park. The Elected Officials bragged about there continuous support of the Parks in our area. Pelham Bay Park and Orchard Beach have had a much appreciated constant facelift over these years and at the present time.

As I picked up newspaper after newspaper describing how much was being done for the green areas of the Bronx...I grew more concerned about Ferry Point Park. Why not, give them a water fountain? Why not trim and cut some of the dangerous dead trees that could fall on a windy day or during a storm? Why not pave part of the parking lot to protect their cars from swerving dangerously to avoid collisions? Why not, pave at least one of the neglected walking paths so the handicapped could sit by the water, so kids could ride bicycles safely and moms could push strollers? Why not clean the glass bottles from a small portions of soft sand that the children consider a beach???

Why must every piece of the Ferry Point community make money for ? Why were we ignored in the Community Board 10's plan for protected re-zoning of the R-4-A standing? Community Board representatives said "I overlooked your area, you're not right in my face." City Planning said "your area was an over sight""your area was conflicting and would have slowed down the Throggs Neck Downzoning". 

This particular situation divided our community into two groups. The founder and most of the stable old members of The Ferry Point Civic Association became the Ferry Point Community Advocates. Most of the neighbors who never participated in the original group, and showed resentment towards leadership in general, became the "new" Ferry Point Civic Association Inc. This only adds to the difficulty of diseminating information and voids the authority of both groups in some situations because people are so confused.

We were in your face when We fought of an asbestos tranfer station, we were in your face when you tried to blight us with a (Iroquois) a 24" natural Gas Pipeline and five facilities (that could have made our homes a Industry uninsurable) we fought with 2000 letters and much more. We were in your face when BJ's Wholesale Club was looking for a home and we fought the only entrance of 3000 to 6000 vehicles per day on Brush Ave. and Bruckner. When Pepsi was searching to consolidate two of their existing Distribution Plants, NYC (EDC) sold the 6 acre property on Brush Ave. to them with very little concern for the 24 hours of truck traffic that will be added to our community. We were in your face when we had to come together to fight the use of a piece of non-conforming use property as a Bar/Restaurant with the ownership of the Golden Lady Strip Club.

Now, even 220 acres of the undeveloped West side of an our Public Park is being forced to make money for others, more fences around the waterfront. We want the water front access we are entitled to. We expect a promenade around the entire park and a Memorial Garden to those lost on September 11th., at the hilltop that has the best view of the skyline from the Bronx. We expect the security of the Bridge to be addressed by removing the 10 foot high weeds from beneath, that a small army could hide in (with a few vehicles) unnoticed. We request a Monument of a Minuteman dressed soldier to remind the visitors of the important Battle of Westchester Creek that was a turning point in the Revolutionary War. (approached on East side Fought on West Side of Park and Creek).

During our research for the development of a friends for Parks group "FP Park West Coalition ", (in order to accept donations directly for the blatantly neglected park), we were stunned at the photograph of our Ex-Councilwoman Madeline Provenzano, standing with Jack Nicklaus and Mr. Gagne. It was evident in the map that Jack Nicklaus, Provenzano and Mr. Gagne were leaning over, (In the July 14, 2005 Bronx Time Reporter) that not only are they planning the 18 hole golf course on the East side but the West side (that they emphatically said "they would not touch"), ("it would be left a free park") is already in their plans for future use as a 9 hole Golf Course.The photograph when enlarged, plainly depicts the 9 hole golf course on the West side of the Park that was supposed to be left Free for the Public. One of the original reasons given for being able to take 220 acres of a public park for private development was that the west side would not be touched.

At this time the Golf Course was changed to a comparitively ugly, inexpensive "Links Style" design without the publics knowledge.When was the Parks Committees, planning to tell us that there were plans to expand the course into the West side?

Here we are spending hours of our time, trying to get the small necessities to make this Park safe and healthy for the 5000 to 8000 Soccer Players and their families, and they are planning to wipe it clean and put a golf course.

They started to work on the East side without filling out the proper papers. A lawsuit by the Throggs Neck Residents on Environmental issues was lost by the filing date being a day or two over the deadline (but methane monitors were put in).What will stop them from starting on the West side without our knowledge? I guess it helps to have the highest amount paid in lobbying fees for a project in NYC, They have Ex-Mayor Guiliani's approval and his Ex-Deputy, Mayor Rudy Washington (possibly illegally) on the golf courses planning team. According to the Sunday Daily News, August 14 2005, FBI wire tapes show that "the gangsters" have been collecting $43,000.00 per month since 2000?...I guess this project has the go...from all sides, except those worried about the health of the residents and wildlife.

Many Bronx Public Park visitors had hopes that the "Raw Garbage Landfill EYESORE created by our City (on the East side of Ferry Point Park) would be turned into the wonderful Public Park it was originally planned to be for all to enjoy. Ex: Hunts Point Area (in general) and re-development of brownfields throughout our City. Instead this area that we locals had to live through and around was bargined with for a future lease to a developer to produce a "pricey" Golf Course, catering hall, 2 docks etc. There is doubt wether this is really slated for a course or is this just an excuse for a landfill within the NYC limits. It took 2 years to build one of the tallest buildings in the world in Chicago and this course is going on 7 years now. Rent free, tax free, this developer and according to the Daily News article of August 14,2005 "the Gansters" are making a profit in the 20 millions with very little out lay of funds.

The meetings I personally attended since 2000, each emphatically stated that there would be NO development at all of the neglected west side of Ferry Point Park. I had hoped that with all these millions being thrown around (at the future golf course meetings), that there would be some renovation of the West side..a consideration...I hoped that with conservative spending, the west side of Ferry Point Park, would be a showpiece of good will to the many Bronx Public Park users that would never benefit from the future Pricey Golf Course development of the 220 acres on the East side that was originally promised to be a beach area for the Throggs Neck Housing Projects.

Our Elected Officials have left Ferry Point Park an embarrassment of a Park, holding its own only with its exquisite natural beauty (but in desperate need of a "makeover").

I decided to look into the reasoning behind the absolute neglect of the West side of this Park, such a fine asset to the Bronx. An ASSET not an EYESORE as it is claimed to be in the papers. It is an asset that is obvious to the people willing to invest millions in a Golf Course, an asset to the 6 Soccer Leagues and 2 Cricket Leagues that travel from Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan etc., to enjoy it all Summer.

Why wasn't this Park renovated over the years by the money brought into the Bronx, by the industrialization of Brush Avenue? Brush Avenue runs right into this Park at Schley Avenue. Why didn't this Park benefit from the Amenities that every developer is required to give to the immediately affected area surrounding their "construction". Why did the ammenities and contributions go to Throggs Neck and Pelhan Bay Parks and events? Who represents us? I guess we are "not in their face", they "Forgot about us".

We are working with a fiscal conduit non-profit group "Neighborhood Open Space Coalition. This will insure that the three vacant areas of commercial land left (Home Depot/Pepsi/Ciminello Parking), and the future companies that use our community for business, are able to get tax exempt status for donations to our Park. Their direct financial involvement should help with the quality of life and safety issues of the actual residential community that they are affecting (Ferry Point).

Ferry Point Park West Coalition (no longer active)