Golden Announces $8 Million Funding for New Ballfield in Shore Road Park

Bay Ridge residents will soon be able to enjoy unencumbered views of Shore Road Park and the Narrows and a new state-of-the-art ballfield thanks to an $8 million grant secured by state Sen. Marty Golden. The Parks Department has already begun cutting trees and clearing brush while refurbishing and rebuilding the ballfield.

At a press conference held on Monday, Oct. 29 at 99th Street and Shore Road, Golden announced that the grant would help pay for the project. He was joined by members of the Shore Road Parks Conservancy including President Charles Fasano and members Joe Prezioso and Linda Allegretti.

The Shore Road Parks Conservancy is an all-volunteer group that plants flowers, pulls out weeds, rakes leaves, cuts grass, clears away litter and helps care for the strip of parkland stretching along the Bay Ridge shoreline from 67th Street to 101st Street. Allegretti founded the organization 14 years ago.

Golden opened the press conference by saying that it was a sad day in the community being the sixth anniversary of when Hurricane Sandy devastated the region. “We’re in the process of trying to rebuild as much as we can and the perfect example is right here along Shore Road,” Golden said.

According to Golden, members of the community have not been able to enjoy the park or use the ballfield to the fullest because of the park’s condition.

Golden also highlighted the Shore Road Vistas Project construction which he allocated funds for in partnership with the city Parks Department and Shore Road Parks Conservancy that will help to enhance the view along Shore Road between 96th Street and 100th Street.

As Golden spoke, workers were cutting trees and helping clear up the shrubbery to allow for an unencumbered view of the park below. “Thanks to the good work of the Parks Department we have these vistas opening up all along Shore Road,” he said.

The components of the project include the removal of dead trees, the pruning of trees, erosion control, the creation of gates within existing fence for maintenance access and the planting of native species.

“About a year ago we had a meeting with the community and we talked about the entire length of Shore Road Park,” Fasano said. “We asked them what they thought the priorities were and they gave us a lot of feedback. So we developed a master plan for the entire length of Shore Road. The ballfields below have not been able to be used, and we needed a large sum of money to get that off the ground. We are incredibly excited about an $8 million grant which will get that going.”

At a second parks press conference held in Marine Park, Golden was joined by members of the Marine Park Community Association and the Madison-Marine Civic Association. He announced a $4 million grant for a new playground in Marine Park. This was in addition to a $2 million grant Golden secured last year for renovations within Marine Park.

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