Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. is praising a decision by the City’s Department of Environmental Protection to expand public access to the Jerome Park Reservoir.
“This is incredibly welcome news, and something my office has advocated for over the past few years. Jerome Park Reservoir is a historic gem of the Northwest Bronx, yet for too long access to its paths has been denied to the public for a variety of reasons. The announcement by Emily Lloyd, commissioner of the City’s Department of Environmental Protection, to begin the process of expanding public access to the Jerome Park Reservoir is incredibly welcome, and I look forward to helping plan and implement access for the reservoir in the fall,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.
Borough President Diaz added, “It is my hope that this announcement is the first step towards greater, permanent access to this incredible amenity.”
At a meeting of the Filtration Monitoring Committee on Monday, June 22, Commissioner Lloyd announced the creation of a task force that will convene this summer. That task force will plan a three part pilot access program for the reservoir this fall, which will include walking tours of the reservoir; a two-hour open session where people can access the reservoir inside the existing security fence and an educational curriculum developed for local schools.
Access to the Jerome Park Reservoir has been a high priority for Borough President Diaz since he took office in 2009. In May 2011, the borough president hosted a press conference with elected officials and community leaders to call for improved access to the Jerome Park Reservoir, and in June 2011 he hosted a public hearing to solicit greater input from Bronxites on the future of public access to Jerome Park Reservoir. In June 2014, Borough President Diaz joined State Senator Jeff Klein and Assembly Jeffrey Dinowitz to support legislation that would declare Jerome Park Reservoir a public park.
“Improved public access to the Jerome Park Reservoir will not only create new recreation activities in our borough, it will help unite communities across the Northwest Bronx. I congratulate the elected officials, community boards and dedicated activists whose work has helped make this announcement possible, and I look forward to walk around the reservoir this fall,” said Borough President Diaz.