By NORWOOD NEWS

The Jerome Park Reservoir Access Task Force held its first meeting at the Van Cortlandt Jewish Center, reviewing plans and objectives for the scheduled August 6 meeting with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection Agency over pilot access program. Committee members agreed that one step in a more permanent access program would be to open up the reservoir’s dividing wall to the general public.

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, whose district covers the Reservoir, said that given the good condition of the walkway, it needed very little upgrade to make it a usable space for the public.  When asked about the cost of necessary new fencing, he said, “I don’t think it would be that expensive and if necessary I’m sure elected officials could work that out.” The reservoir’s dividing wall, which was built in the mid 1980’s, would create a direct pedestrian link between Sedgwick and Goulden Avenues.

Gary Axelbank, the community’s representative on the Task Force, pointed out that as far as security goes, opening up the ‘bridge’ would actually make the community more secure since it would provide more direct access for a large swath of the Bronx to the borough’s emergency evacuation site at Lehman College.

The five task force members in attendance were Dinowitz, Axelbank,  Fr. Gorman, CB8 Chair Dan Padernacht, and Dan Donovan, who represented the Borough Presdeint’s office.   Nine community members also attended.  They agreed to meet one more time prior to the meeting with the DEP.