State Sen. Gustavo Rivera (S.D. 33) confirmed on Tuesday, Dec. 16, that 20 promised security cameras for the Williamsbridge Oval Recreation Center in Norwood have since been installed both outside and inside the Center. He also shared aerial diagrams of the exterior locations of each and said there are six exterior cameras and 14 interior ones.

 

“This new equipment and the installation was possible due to a $138,000 capital grant that I allocated in June 2024,” Rivera said, and as previously reported.

“We were joined by community members to urge the Parks Department to prioritize the project after the heartbreaking murder of young Ángel Mendoza and the horrific assault of a woman in September,” the senator added.

 

Additionally, on June 9, 2024, 66-year-old Jose Cruz of Brooklyn was found stabbed to death on a park bench inside the Williamsbridge Oval by Reservoir Oval East and Putnam Place in front of the Keeper’s House, home to Norwood News.

More recently, a second woman was raped a block from the Oval at East Gun Hill Road and Putnam Place on Sept. 28. A 21-year-old New Jersey man has since been arrested in relation to this incident, while four teenagers have been charged in Ángel’s death, and others are still sought.

 

On Sunday, Sept. 28, an NYPD spokesperson told Norwood News that no one has been apprehended in Cruz’s death and “the investigation remains ongoing.”

Meanwhile, Rivera continued, “Now our recreation center has a total of 20 cameras installed, including 14 interior units and 6 exterior units.” He said the breakdown includes, on the first floor, three cameras in the lobby, three cameras in the fitness room, and two in the game room.

 

On the second floor, the senator said there are two cameras in the hallway / vestibule, two in the computer room, and two in the multi-purpose room.

Outside, as seen in the attached photos and diagrams, there are two cameras at the front entrance, two at the rear entrance, one at the staircase near the women’s outdoor bathroom and one at the staircase near the men’s outdoor bathroom.

 

As reported, at least one other exterior (NYPD) camera has also been installed in the Oval park, itself, near the basketball courts.

“With 20 new cameras installed, it is my hope that those who enjoy this beloved Bronx park will feel much safer,” Rivera continued. “I am committed to partnering with all of my neighbors to make our district a safer place to raise our families and enjoy our community.”

 

In other Oval-related news, residents should take precautions if walking in the park since the running track is still very icy and slippery, following the recent snowfall. The National Weather Service (NWS) has indicated that temperatures are expected to become less cold on Friday, Dec. 20.

Meanwhile, as also reported, following the completion of a recent “Stop the Bleed” course run by NYC Health + Hospitals in conjunction with the American College of Surgeons, Norwood News had planned to launch a GoFundMe page to purchase an official “Stop the Bleed” kit for installation at the Oval Recreation Center in hopes of preventing future loss of life in case of another massive bleed.

However, having checked with NYC Parks if this would be feasible from the department’s standpoint, a Parks spokesperson advised that it would not be.

“Thanks for offering to create a GoFundMe for the kits,” the Parks spokesperson said. “I ran this by our borough team as well as our health & safety and legal divisions, and it is not feasible for us to do this.”

The spokesperson said they appreciated the thought and suggested liaising with one of the Bronx cure violence groups [like Bronx Rises Against Gun Violence] or other community groups on the matter.

 

The issue is that none of the cure violence groups has a physical base in Norwood where the kit could be permanently installed and the idea was to install it in an area where it would be most useful. Given the recent violent incidents which have taken place in the Oval, the recreation center seemed to be the most logical choice.

Additionally, the role of cure violence groups is more so to prevent further violence from escalating after a shooting or other serious injury or death, rather than responding to emergencies when they occur. Meanwhile, the idea of the “Stop the Bleed” kit is to enable and empower members of the public to treat massive wounds and stop a bleed, if trained, until emergency services arrive and take over.

 

Norwood News is now liaising with Montefiore Health System, which owns the Keeper’s House, located on the opposite end of the Williamsbridge Oval to the Rec Center, to see if such a kit could potentially be installed there instead. However, the Keeper’s House is situated further away from the main sports courts where children and youth typically converge. We’ll keep everyone updated on the outcome.