Elected officials broke ground on an almost $10 million restoration of Soundview Park’s wetlands, lagoon, and forests on Monday.
The city acquired the 205-acre park, known as the “Gateway to the Bronx River,” in 1937 as all marshland.
Projects include removing invasive species from an upland forest and planting native wildflowers, grasses, and trees. A one-year endeavor includes restoring more than 15 acres of tidal wetlands and forest and planting 5,000 trees.
Approximately half of the funds came from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, while New York State’s Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act and NYC Department of Environmental Protection each funded more than $2 million, and more than $1 million from the NYC Department of Sanitation.
New York City Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe, along with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Colonel John Boulé, Congressmen Joseph Crowley and Jose Serrano, State Senator Ruben Diaz, and Assemblymember Marcos Crespo attended the event.
