Reservoir Tour in Bronx Postponed

1 Oct

Following is a press release from the City’s Department of Environmental Protection about the postponement of this weekend’s tour of the Jerome Park Reservoir. It will take place in November instead.

GUIDED TOURS AND LIMITED ACCESS RECREATION AT JEROME PARK RESERVOIR POSTPONED DUE TO THE THREAT OF INCLEMENT WEATHER
The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today announced that due to the potential for inclement weather this weekend, the special guided tours and limited access recreation planned at Jerome Park Reservoir have been postponed until the weekend of November 14th and 15th.  As was originally planned, there will be two ticketed tours on each day, followed by a non-ticketed opportunity for the public to walk or jog around the 2-mile perimeter of the Reservoir.  Entry will be through a Gate House located on the west side of Goulden Avenue, just south of 205th Street and phones, bags and cameras will not be permitted on the Reservoir grounds.  There will be an opportunity to check phones, but visitors should not bring bags or cameras.  All individuals who had registered for the tours scheduled for October 3rd and 4th will be contacted by DEP and given the first opportunity for tickets to the November 14th and 15th tours.  To the extent any tickets remain after that, DEP will make them available on a first-come, first-served basis.  More information will be made available about any remaining tickets on the DEP website and Facebook page.

Saturday, November 14th:
Guided Tours (tickets required)
10:00am – 11:00am
11:00am – 12:00pm

Limited Access Recreation (tickets not required)
12:30pm – 2:30pm

Sunday, November 15th:
Guided Tours (tickets required)
10:00am – 11:00am
11:00am – 12:00pm

Limited Access Recreation (tickets not required)
12:30pm – 2:30pm

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The Bronx’s Perenially Padlocked Jerome Park Reservoir Open This Weekend!

29 Sep

It may not sound like a big deal if you don’t have live relatively close to the Jerome Park Reservoir. But residents of Kingsbridge Heights, Bedford Park, Norwood, Van Cortlandt Village, etc. have not been able to see the reservoir close-up in what is essentially their neighborhood backyard. Until now. The DEP (Department of Environmental Protection) is opening up the fence this weekend. There are no plans for future accessibility. But as long-time reservoir activist Anne Marie Garti states in the following email she just sent around, the only way you’re possibly going to get more accessibility is if you show up this weekend. She also points out that the southern section of the reservoir (which makes up its vast majority) is empty right now, as it was for many years before this year. I agree with her that it must be filled before we all show up. Here’s all the info from Ms. Garti:

The NYC DEP will be opening the Jerome Park Reservoir to the public this coming Saturday and Sunday, October 3rd and 4th.  This is a pilot to gauge public sentiment. If you want the reservoir opened regularly, you should show up!

Anyone can come to walk or run around the reservoir between 12:30 – 2:30 pm

You must use the entrance just south of 205th Street (near the Bronx HS of Science and Gatehouse 5), on the west side of Goulden Ave.

“Phones, bags and cameras will not be permitted on the tour. We will provide an opportunity to check phones, however please do not bring any bags or cameras. Please ensure you wear closed toe shoes. All participants will be required to sign a liability waiver before being admitted.”

http://nycwater.tumblr.com/post/129652145158/if-you-will-be-joining-us-at-jerome-park-reservoir

For some reason, the DEP has decided to drain the 60+ acre south basin. If the agency doesn’t want to be accused of sabotaging this rare event, we suggest that water be put in there before Saturday!

Tours will be held in the morning. However, no more  tickets are available.
https://jerome-park-reservoir-tour.eventbrite.com

We hope to see you there on Saturday and Sunday between 12:30 – 2:30 pm.
West side of Goulden Avenue, south of 205th Street (across the street from Bronx Science)
Anne Marie

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Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz on BronxTalk Tonight

24 Aug

From BronxTalk host Gary Axelbank:

Tonight’s guest on BronxTalk will be Assemblyman Jeff Dinowitz of the 81st Assembly District in the Bronx. We’ll ask him about the explosion at JFK High School, a number of housing and development issues, the upcoming pilot plan for access to the Jerome Park Reservoir, the Mayor and the Governor, and a number of other issues. BronxTalk is seen live Monday nights at 9:00 p.m. on BronxNet’s channel 67 and Fios 33. It is streamed live at bronxnet.org.

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Small Bronx Prob but Needs Fix ASAP

3 Aug

8/3 Photo – Hydrant on Bailey Ave. and Albany Crescent in Kingsbridge near Gulf station. Needs fix. 

  

Bronx 238th St. 1-Train Station Needs an Elevator

29 Jul

The people you see here are not disabled. 

Yet they were having a very difficult time walking up what is essentially two flights of stairs this morning. There’s no elevator at this 238th St. station. The 231st Street station, which does have one, is 7 blocks away. The 238th St. station needs an elevator. What can people with any kind of walking difficulty do if they need to get downtown in a timely manner? If you have other thoughts/ideas, please share. 

Artist & Craftsman Opens on White Plains Road! Bronx Art MATTERS!

17 Jun
Artist & Craftsman Supply has opened in the Bronx on White Plains Road. Photo of Cassie Brehmer (regional manager) and Shak (store assistant manager) in front of the new store.

Artist & Craftsman Supply just opened in the Bronx on White Plains Road. Photo of Cassie Brehmer (regional manager) and Shak (store assistant manager) in front of the new store.

I can’t think of better news than the following for Bronx artists and Bronx lovers in general. There are many types of businesses our borough of 1.4 million people lack. But even though my parents are artists, and I’ve been spending time lately with fellow Bronxite artists, it never occurred to me to hope for an art store in the borough. Maybe it’s because  — unlike deceased movie theaters and bookstores that continue to make me moan as I pass their former locations — I’ve only been in the Bronx since 1992 and never remember seeing an art store here, so I never expected those to show up again (they did exist, right?).

I rarely, if ever, reprint an entire letter to the public, but it’s worth it, as the following is detailed, helpful, and … exciting. And, how cool is it that Artist & Craftsman is an employee-owned company that makes sure artists are part of the team? OK, enough from me. Here’s the letter …

Dear Artists,

Hello! I’m Cassie, a Regional Manager for Artist & Craftsman Supply. I asked Danny Hauben to forward this message to all of you- thank you Danny!

I am excited to announce the opening of Artist & Craftsman Supply in the Bronx!  Yes- A real art store in the Bronx! We are big, and we carry a lot of supplies. Located at 3961 White Plains Road (off the 225th St. stop on the 2/5 trains), our upstairs is full of crafting supplies, yarn, kids art supplies, toys, games and books. Our (giant) basement holds Spray Paint, Hardware, Paper, Frames, Stone and Stone Carving Tools, Printmaking supplies, Etching supplies, Oils, Acrylics, Watercolors, all their mediums, Colored Pencils, Pastels, Drawing Supplies, Portfolios, Foam and Chip Board, Brushes, Markers, Pens, and much much more. We’re not kidding around.

We are really excited to be a part of the community, and we look forward to participating in any community events we can. We offer discounts to educators and students- 10% off our everyday pricing with a valid Student/Faculty I.D. card- and bulk discounts to everyone. And we’re hoping to open a classroom space in our basement some time soon. We have a lot to look forward to!

A little bit about us- Artist & Craftsman Supply is an employee owned company that originated in Portland, Maine in 1985. We were started by artists, and we continue the tradition by staffing artists. We currently have 5 stores in New York City- the Bronx,Williamsburg, Park Slope, Harlem, and Long Island City-  with a sixth location opening in Bushwick in a couple of months. We have come to the Bronx, because the Bronx needs an art store. We know many artists are here and  you deserve to have a store you can trust to provide access to the tools you need to do your craft, without having to travel to Manhattan.

I Invite you to check out our website, www.artistcraftsman.com – there’s much more in our brick and mortar stores than on that site, but it will hopefully give you a feel for who we are. And please stop by – we would love to meet you and show you what we have. If we don’t carry something- chances are very good that we can get it quickly.

If you have any questions/comments/concerns- you’re welcome to e-mail Leo and Shak (store managers) at the store- BWP@artistcraftsman.com- or give them a call- 718.231.0501

Additionally, if you’d like to be added to our e-mail list to be notified of sales and other happenings- please send us an e-mail to the address above with the subject ‘add to e-mail list’.

Thank you for your time, and I look forward to meeting you!

Cassie Brehmer, Regional Manager

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Great Links to Bronx Artists and Growing Art Scene

3 Jun

There are so many Bronx artists and an emerging art scene. BX 200 has done a great job on its website promoting and linking to both. Check out this list of artists and this list of art scenes (organizations, galleries, etc.).

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Still Waiting for Citywide Coverage of Staten Island Courthouse’s Disastrous Delay

2 Jun

There is still no certainty regarding when an architecturally impressive, yet incomplete, courthouse will open for business on Staten Island, after more than a decade of delay and more than $100 million over budget.

And there still hasn’t been any citywide coverage!

As I mentioned in Bronx Matters’ last post on this, this is an ongoing fiscal travesty following a similar construction, and civic, disaster in the Bronx. There has been zero citywide coverage in Big Apple newspapers as far as I can tell, even as the crisis continues. What’s up with that?!

Here are links to a more recent article and editorial from January on the Staten Island Advance’s silive.com website.

The Advance says Mayor de Blasio can’t predict the move-in date,  but Gov. Cuomo should be interviewed too, as it’s the state’s Dormitory Authority that is responsible for the construction. Heck, at this point, every city and state elected official should be called on it too as no one seems to be making any noise.

Bronx Matters’ ears are wide open.

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