NYC Department of Parks & Recreation said a work order is in place to fix the lights that have been out in Norwood’s Williamsbridge Oval.

 

The news should bring some comfort to the many users of the park, as we head into the fall. Local resident, Denise Vida had contacted Norwood News, saying, “The Reservoir Oval Park has about 8 to 10 lights completely out, especially around the woman’s bathroom, basketball court, & children playround.”

 

She continued, “We have contacted 3-1-1 so many times, with no luck! This makes dog walking at night pretty creepy and dangerous.” Norwood News duly followed up with the Parks department. We were informed that the lights near the restroom entrances (to the Williamsbridge Oval Recreation Center) have been repaired and that a work order has been submitted to DOT for replacement of the lights around the Oval. They said this will be fixed as soon as possible.

In February, we reported that the NYPD appeared to step up night patrols of the park, when on Feb. 9, at around 7 p.m., around four separate police vehicles were seen patrolling the Oval after dark. One middle-aged man we spoke to at the time who was in the park walking his dog told Norwood News he had noticed additional police presence in the Oval since Feb. 5, after dark.

 

The man said similar police patrol units were seen in and around Van Cortlandt Park, where, as reported, a series of thefts had been reported. When Norwood News contacted the NYPD to ask if there was a particular reason for the extra police presence in the Oval at the time, an NYPD spokesperson said that they could not really say what the reason was and he had no record of any specific reported incident in the Oval at that time.

 

Meanwhile, another resident, Abraham Cruz, also contacted us about ongoing noise complaints he has reported to 311 in and around Norwood. “With no consideration for anyone else, they [noise culprits] have held the northwest Bronx [hostage] to their loud noise (music) every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday,” Cruz said.

 

He went on to say that from the northwest corner of West Gunhill Road and Jerome Avenue, some people set up “jumbo speakers” and “blast their music all night from 9 p.m. to the early morning hours of 5.30 a.m.” Cruz added, “On Aug. 24, the police came by four hours later, after countless 311 noise complaints, and put a stop to it. They didn’t issue any summonses or confiscate their [equipment] because 15 minutes later, the music was even louder.”

 

Cruz said the music could be heard from Tracy Towers to 213^th Street. “Apparently, the police cars don’t patrol this neighborhood because the music played for another five hours with no stop from police,” he said. “The commander of the 52 Precinct and the city councilman, with his district leader, need to be more involved in a community being held hostage by music during inappropriate hours that doesn’t let people sleep, like mothers with young children and those who have to get up early to work on the weekends.”

 

Norwood News reached out to both the NYPD Community Affairs team, and the press office for the NYPD for comment. NYPD Community Affairs Officer Stephen Echevarria at the 52nd Precinct acknowledged our inquiry and is following up. We also today contacted the councilman’s office and will share any comments we receive on the matter.

 

According to 311 complaint data for Bronx Community District 7, which covers Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham Manor, Jerome Park,  Kingsbridge Heights, Mosholu Parkway and University Heights, between June 1 and August 31, there were 5,253 noise complaints relating to loud music or truck music logged. All are closed.

 

Meanwhile, Cruz concluded, “No consideration, no respect…who are these people that have come into our neighborhood and changed the character? For someone who has been living here for 43 years, this is not acceptable.”

 

*Ariel Pacheco contributed to this story.