Talk Bronx New York

New Bronx Ball Field Opens

The City Parks Department unveiled a new ball field in Melrose, Bronx on Friday, but community members claim it does not replace parkland used to build the new Yankee Stadium.

The ball field is part of an effort to create more green space across the borough.

The new field is made of Astroturf and is open to the public when school is not in session.

Previously, the park in the area was only for school use and had blacktop.

However, some community members say the field does little to make up for the loss of parkland used to build the new Yankee Stadium over a mile away.

“The city keeps saying that we are getting so much more park then they took away. Which is certainly not true because over 12 of those acres that are included in this total were already parkland - either mapped parkland or in this case, a school yard,” said Highbridge resident Joyce Hogi.

“We’re not counting it as new this is not part of a replacement. This is above and beyond. The replacement is happening near Yankee Stadium. This is just a bonus,” said Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe.

Once the new stadium is completed, three new ball fields will be built on the site of the current Yankee Stadium.

SOURCE: NY1.com Read more..

(No Ratings Yet)
 Loading ...
 Email This Post

Bronx’s Westchester Square Medical Center Joins NY Presbyterian System

By the end of June, New York Westchester Square Medical Center in The Bronx was supposed to officially close it’s doors for good. The hospital is one of four throughout the city still slated for closure based on recommendations from a panel known as the Berger commission which tried to cut healthcare costs throughout the state.

But Friday, the hospital officially announced that it will stop operating on its own and will become part of the New York Presbyterian Healthcare System.

To show their appreciation, elected leaders who helped broker the deal with state health officials were given signed lab coats from hospital staff.

“I really believe if at all possible this is going to be even better,” said Bronx Democratic State Senator Jeffrey Klein. “You are going to have a great healthcare institution, world-renowned like New York Presbyterian taking over. It still is going to be a community hospital. Still going to maintain community mission of providing quality of care and they will have sort of a big brother watching over them.”

Under the takeover plan, members of the hospital board and elected officials claim all services will remain intact.

“It is basically a bail-out,” said Dr. Rudolph Nisi, Westchester Square’s Chairman of the Board. “The hospital will continue to be an acute care hospital as it has always been with the addition of services with asthma clinics, perhaps, or diabetes clinics.”

While senior staff and Senator Klein remain optimistic that services will continue and be increased, New York Presbyterian said the future of the hospital’s services remains uncertain.

“Part of the process we need to go through is not just to be able to say this makes the most sense in our view,” said Wayne Osten, director of NY Presbyterian Healthcare. “There are other partners and individuals that need to work with us, including the health department, including the governor’s office, including the staff here and the staff at New York Presbyterian.”

The takeover process will also involve bailing Westchester Square out of bankruptcy. But current hospital officials and New York Presbyterian maintain there will be no disruption of services while those issues are being worked out. Read more..

(No Ratings Yet)
 Loading ...
 Email This Post