After Three Years, Oval Skate Park Project Yet to Start

By DYLAN CROLL and DAVID CRUZ

When it comes to a skate park project that hasn’t begun, the progress, or lack thereof, particularly miffs the Norwood Council Member who earmarked funds to build it more than three years ago. “If I could build it myself, I would,” Councilman Andrew Cohen, who allocated $750,000 in capital funds to the New York City Department of Parks to build the skate park, told the Norwood News. The proposal to build the skate park was hailed by neighborhood skaters who’ve longed for an appropriate space to perfect their skating skills. Indeed, a vision for the skate park stretches back to

Power Walk at NYBG Mosholu Montefiore Community Center, Children’s Hospital at Montefiore and J Train Wellness invite the public to join the B’N Fit Annual Power Walk to Wellness at the New York Botanical Garden on May 6 at 9 a.m. rain or shine ($10 p/p; raise $50 and walk free). Event helps educate the community about how to promote a healthy lifestyle and prevent the adverse effects of obesity. Registration is at 8:30 a.m. Whoever raises the most in donations receives $100 gift card and a B’N Fit trophy. Meet at Everett Garden Gate school group entrance. For more

By ADELINE HANSSEN

Covered in student artwork and colorful murals, a renovated basement located between Knox and Gates Places in Norwood serves as the center for Community Organized with a Vision of Excellence (COVE), a local nonprofit that will be home to Dare to Revitalize Education through Arts and Mediation (DREAM!) when the two nonprofits merge this summer. “The combination just makes us a more powerful unit,” said Aisha Norris, who doubles as co-founder of DREAM! and program director of The COVE. The merger of the two nonprofits is somewhat of a no-brainer. The COVE was founded by the Knox Gates Neighborhood Association

The First Lady of New York City, Chirlane McCray, ratcheted up her efforts to bring resources for sufferers of mental illness at her first-ever community discussion on mental illness. “Every single one of us has been touched either directly or through someone that we love and care about,” said McCray. Roughly 20 percent of adult New Yorkers is impacted by mental illness, according to health statistics. With reforms in treating the mentally ill a signature agenda item, McCray helped usher ThriveNYC, which helps individuals cope with mental illness and HealingNYC that fights against the crisis of opioid use. According to

Latest Edition of the Norwood News is Out!

Dear Fellow Readers, The freshest edition of the Norwood News is out with plenty of Bronx community news you can use. In it, you’ll find 16 pages full of good stuff that can make you the smartest person in the room. As usual, we begin with page 1, and a story that while on the surface can be boring, but has major impacts in your quality of life. We’re talking about zoning and the findings of a preliminary study that determines whether it’s doable to have future developers build smaller buildings. The answer, according to the study, is yes. As an

Getting Into Nitty Gritty of Kingsbridge Ice Project Loan

Have you ever had a conversation on what zoning is as it relates to New York City? Unless one is an urban planner, I doubt many can give a comprehensive version of the power behind zoning. In a nutshell, zoning governs how neighborhoods look across the city using a set of regulations or zoning codes that tell developers what’s allowed to be built in a neighborhood. Understanding the nitty gritty aspects of zoning poses major hurdles for anyone looking to gain control of their neighborhood’s fate, and it was pretty evident at a special Community Board 7 Land Use/Zoning and

Neighborhood Notes: Free Immigration Service

Donations Sought Donations to homeless advocacy groups can be dropped off at TD Bank branches across the Bronx from now through May 5. A monetary donation and items including towels, plastic hangers, laundry bags, pillow cases, pillows, sheets, blankets/comforters, toilet paper and paper towels, shampoo/conditioner, Vaseline, deodorant, non-scented lotion, nail clippers, shower caddies, shaving cream and disposable razors, mouthwash, cotton swabs, tampons and pads, soap, bathroom cleaning supplies and kitchen utensils can be dropped off between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Free Paper Shredding AARP New York will be hosting a free paper shredding event at the Bronx Borough Hall,

By ANTHONY RIVIECCIO, MBA, PFA

On Tuesday, the Trump Administration increased some Canadian imports by 20 percent. In simple terms: a tax increase. Soon, the Trump Administration will unveil their Tax Proposal to Congress, where they claim you can do your taxes on a postcard: You know why? They are considering lowering or eliminating many deductions while lowering individual taxes by 33 percent and corporate taxes by 66 percent. Question: How do you expect to get a bigger refund in the coming years when we are about ready to have a 360 percent on tax policy, scheduled to apply this year? President Donald Trump calls

How Big Do You Want Your Buildings in the Bronx?

By DAVID CRUZ

For residents attending a presentation on the feasibility of downzoning two neighborhoods in the northwest Bronx, tech-heavy jargon such as “Floor Area Ratio,” “compliance,” and “sky exposure plane” admittedly caused confusion for a topic focusing on the size of buildings. “Is this too complicating?” asked Paula Caplan, an independent urban planner hired by Community Board 7 to study the possibility of downzoning the two neighborhoods and present her ideas to the city. Residents answered “no,” with some shrugging their shoulders. A handful responded “yes.” Such is the subject of zoning, a topic that, if presented dryly, can confound and perplex