A State-of-the-Art Recreational Facility is coming to…..

h. nazan ışık—

4 August 2016—

Mayor Bill de Blasio, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie announced: “A state-of-the-art recreational facility is coming in the Edenwald neighborhood of the Bronx.”

YMCA anouncement© h. nazan ışık

“For years people in this community have been calling for a place they can bring their families to get healthy and have fun. This 50,000 square foot YMCA will serve thousands of Bronx residents, including many families living in NYCHA,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio on 3 August.

The new recreational facility, built alongside NYCHA’s Edenwald Houses, will provide two swimming pools, a full-length basketball court, gym facilities, an indoor track, a wellness center, a childcare facility and multi-purpose rooms.

“This center will offer a fun and safe environment for our kids to grow and learn and create new jobs that pay fair and living wages,” said Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie.

And he thanked Mayor de Blasio and Borough President Diaz Jr, Councilman King and other community leaders for coming together to make this project a reality after so many years.

YMCA anouncement© h. nazan ışık

Mayor de Blasio (left), Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (center) and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. at the announcement of the new recreation center.

“Providing the northeast Bronx with a high quality recreation center has been a priority of my administration since the day I became borough president, and today’s announcement is a true victory for this community and the entire Bronx. In partnership with my good friend, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, we will create a tremendous new amenity on this property that will offer the community an amazing new resource. The YMCA is an amazing organization, and I am proud to provide this project with $1 million in capital funding in this year’s budget,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

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 yoga, Zumba, spin, yoga and martial arts
  • Senior adult programs, including health and wellness programming, arthritis water exercise and social activities
  • Civics classes and other programs for new Americans.

YMCA anouncement© h. nazan ışık

Some parents came with their babies to learn, to hear about the planned new recreation center.

Sharon Greenberger, President and CEO of the YMCA of Greater New York, said: “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.

The Edenwald YMCA will create 100 new permanent jobs that pay a living wage, and 101 new construction jobs.

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.

It was a very warm, very sunny day when the announcement was made. All the guests, including children, and speakers were sitting in the sun. I was just imagining those two swimming pools that Mayor de Blasio and other speakers were talking about. Most likely I wasn’t the only one.

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