http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/bronx/group-brainstorms-hudson-river-greenway-bronx-article-1.2039864
New committee brainstorms Hudson River Greenway through the Bronx
The three-person team, from Community Board 8 in Riverdale, is holding public meetings in hopes of finding a way to finally build a waterfront path on the Hudson from Manhattan to Yonkers.
SABO, ROBERT/SABO, ROBERT The bid to build a waterfront path on the Hudson River through the Bronx is now being brainstormed by a new committee at a Riverdale community board.It's still the missing link.
A trio of Bronx activists are breathing new life into an old pipedream to build a waterfront path on the Hudson River, connecting the Manhattan Greenway and Old Croton Aqueduct Trail in Yonkers.
“It’s too good of a resource not to take advantage of,” said Bob Bender, one of the three members of Bronx Community Board 8’s new special committee created to tackle the long-desired Hudson River Greenway project.
The park-loving committee — composed of Bender, Phillip Friedman and Laura Spalter — plans to meet monthly at the Riverdale community board to work on securing funding for an engineering study to analyze the project’s feasibility.
Park advocate groups, including Friends of the Hudson River Greenway, have pushed for such a link for nearly 20 years.
Since 2010, Riverdale neighbors have hosted an annual Riverfest bash to drum up support for the idea.
Bender says the small group’s greatest challenge will be working with Metro North, which currently operates a rail line adjacent to the proposed path location.
“Metro North will continue to work closely with the community to explore the feasibility of this project,” an MTA spokeswoman said.
Bender said the committee may pitch a project with a flood protection component, to protect the tracks and create a walkway at the same time.
“There might be a way where we can both develop the greenway and fortify the waterfront at the same location,” he said.