Owen Dolen Park’s $5 Million Facelift

DSC_0359 Owen Dolen Park RC MP 6 4 13_resize — Local kids participate in the re-opening celebration at Owen Dolen Park in Westchester Square. (Photo courtesy Parks Dept.)

The $5 million renovation of Owen Dolen Park in Westchester Square was unveiled last Wednesday, June 5, during a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

New spaces to host outdoor events and community programming were added, in addition to a large plaza along Westchester Avenue. Grassy areas were also expanded, pedestrian pathways repaved, new seating installed, and trees and ornamental shrubs planted. New lighting, drainage systems, and fencing were also provided.

A portion of funding will be used to improve the exterior of the Owen Dolen Recreation Center at 2551 Westchester Ave., including new roof waterproofing and re-pointed masonry. In the meantime, the center will offer free Zumba and fitness classes, martial arts instruction, board games, senior programming, and arts and crafts activities through June 30. Upcoming activities include Health Day at the Square on June 15, and “Bollywood in the Bronx” on July 13.

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., City Council Member James Vacca, members of Community Board 10, the Westchester Square Business Improvement District, Westchester Square Merchants’ Association, and Westchester Square-Zerega Improvement Organization were all on hand for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

DSC_0402 Owen Dolen Park RC MP 6 4 13_resize — Kids show off art projects created at the re-opening of Owen Dolen Park. (Photo courtesy Parks Dept.)

DSC_0395 Owen Dolen Park RC MP 6 4 13_resize — Part of the renovation at Owen Dolen Park included a new performance space for concerts, shows and other community events. (Photo courtesy Parks Dept.)

DSC_0144 Owen Dolen Park RC MP 6 4 13_resize — Another look at the newly renovated Owen Dolen Park in Westchester Square. (Photo courtesy Parks Dept.)

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Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.