Today it is very very cold, but I chose to take a walk to the reservoir to see what was going on.  It was morning and the temperature was in the twenty degrees area.  There was no work going on at the site of the Shaft and Valve Chamber.

In May 2008, the Harris Park Annex along the edge of  Jerome Park Reservoir looked like the left photo. Then in July 2008, they started work on the connection to the water supply system.

Today, the project has taken enormous proportions – almost as long as the Bronx High School of Science. The aesthetic nature of the structure is so compelling that I am certain the Design Commission will use this as a model for the rest of the city, especially Manhattan!

I also saw some nice fire persons from the Tower Ladder 46 who went inside the JPR property but were unable to get the answers they needed.  I did not ask as it does not really matter — the DEP answers to no one as we have come to learn.

The DEMO plant does not seem to be getting demolished and looks more like an UNSAFE BUILDING every time I see it.  What is taking so long to tear down a temporary building built in 1984 ?????  The DEP is using the area for a staging area and trailers.  I saw some workers bringing lunch to the second trailer (maybe the contractor?).

Oh, and what ever happened to the sign that Parks put up at the turn of the century?

That about sums it up, from the reporter on the scene,

/Karen

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In 2004, Assembly Member Jeffrey Klein rallied with neighborhood residents against putting the plant in Van Cortlandt Park. He also supported his constituents at the Jerome Park Reservoir in trying to make the reservoir into a park. Below you will find some interviews, photos and documents concerning these issues

. . . . . . . . . .It doesn’t make sense, logistically, that you . . . build something in Van Cortlandt and still need to pipe water back and forth from Jerome Park. The purpose of building in Van Cortlandt in the first place was a direct line for the Croton system.

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Excerpts from 2004 INTERVIEW WITH BRONXTALK’S GARY AXELBANK – On Wednesday, May 5 Assemblyman Jeffrey Klein was interviewed on BronxTalk AM by host Gary Axelbank. Their discussion included dialogue about the water filtration project. Here’s a transcript of that segment:

GA: The students from the Bronx H.S. of Science were here yesterday. . .. .. The Riverdale Press had said that you were talking about building a running track around the reservoir. The DEP commissioner talked about air conditioning in that building. Their attitude was, “No deals. We really think that Eastview is the best site.” . . . ..

JK: . . . This is not a done deal. That’s the purpose of having an environmental impact statement, to figure out what the burden is on the surrounding community, whether or not this is the cheapest site, whether or not this is the most viable site.

. . . . . About a month ago, I went out with DEP and they showed me what was going to be a burden on the . . . . Jerome Park community. They showed me the exact spot where the hole is going to be dug across from Bronx H.S. of Science. . . . . They took me around to different gate houses that were going to be upgraded and rehabilitated.

GA: Your thoughts on what you saw?
JK: It’s going to be a burden on the community, temporary, but still a burden. I’m not a construction person . . . . . , but when you dig a 25-foot hole it’s going to take a while to do and there will be some burden on the surrounding community. No doubt about it.

For the FULL Transcritpt: klein-on-bronxtalk-2004-may-04

LETTER TO THE CITY COUNCIL: kleinfiltrationplantletter1-2004-july-21

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In addition to reading our blog with photo’s and attachments, you will find a very interesting dialogue on FIPNA at: http://www.fipna.org/2009/01/10/park-improvements-at-fort-independence-park-and-around-the-reservoir/

And more on the BCEQ President’s Blog at: http://www.bceq.org/2009/01/11/draft-president%e2%80%99s-blog-bronx-cb8-contentious-parks-parks-committee-meeting-thursday-7pm/

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Schematic 8 – 9: THE SOUTHSIDE ALONG RESERVOIR AVENUE

This is just a cut in the proposed design. Panel 8 and 9 are pdfs which you can see by clicking here:
08_schematic_site-plans-w_keyplan

09_schematic_site-plans-w_keyplan

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SCHEMATIC 10 – 11:  WESTSIDE ALONG SEDGWICK FROM RESERVOIR AVE TO FORT INDEPENDENCE ST.

PDFS:

10_schematic_site-plans-w_keyplan

11_schematic_site-plans-w_keyplan

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SCHEMATIC 15:  SEDGWICK AVENUE FROM VAN CORTLANDT AVE WEST TO GOULDEN AVE

PDF: 15_schematic_site-plans-w_keyplan

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FORT INDEPENDENCE PARK JOGGING PATH, SCHEMATICS

PDFs: Not sure that these are the most up to date.  Some changes were made at the 1-8-09 meeting.

12_schematic_site-plans-w_keyplan

13_schematic_site-plans-w_keyplan

14_schematic_site-plans-w_keyplan

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For a pdf of the Full Master Plan (which will be clearer that the jpg above) click on this link:
02_mp_master-plan-120-scale

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The New York City Council approved parks projects in September 2004.

Jerome Park Reservoir was one of the parks. The description of the Jerome Park Reservoir Pathway was a New recreational pathway to be constructed around the reservoir, for a cost of $5,000,000 which was projected to take 730 days.

Needless to say, they are late by more than 730 days over their projection. (Each year of delay makes the project smaller as the cost of construction has reportedly increased.)

Backup information is found in this file which the City Council relied upon to approve the MOU. (The file that was sent to the Council Members was sent in a zipped file to me by mistake.) 091304-bronxwaterfiltrationplant

There is also a list on the Parks Department site at: Bronx Parks for the 21st Century http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_your_park/croton/html/project_list.html

Community Board 8 Parks Committee held a meeting on January 8.

Local press articles on this topic are:

January 8, 2009 – Riverdale Press: Some ready to accept city’s park proposal, others vow to fight on, Jerome Park Reservoir, by N. Clark Judd

Details of this meeting are at the Fort Independence Park Neighborhood Improvement Association (FIPNA) site at: http://www.fipna.org/2009/01/10/park-improvements-at-fort-independence-park-and-around-the-reservoir/

Design Schematics to follow.

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