By Alex Kratz

On Sunday, hundreds of local residents spilled onto the middle of East 204th Street for the Summer Streets event, which included shopping, face painting, fitness instruction and lots of kids playing in an open fire hydrant courtesy of the Fire Department.

Hosted by Community Board 7 and Mosholu Preservation Corporation, Summer Streets is a city initiative designed to bring community and commerce together on streets throughout the five boroughs. East 204th Street, a two-block stretch between Bainbridge and Hull avenues, was blocked off for shopping and a host of other activities.

Lowell Green, the chair of Board 7’s transportation committee, first learned about the Weekend Walks program last summer and signed the board up to help host the event over the winter. Green, however, was skeptical that the board could pull it off without a co-host. In the early spring, Mosholu Preservation Corporation (MPC), a nonprofit that manages affordable housing and promotes economic development in the Norwood area (and also publishes the Norwood News), teamed up with Board 7 to help organize and promote the event.

Michael Lambert, the deputy director of MPC, said he hopes Summer Streets will help build momentum and interest for an East 204th Street business corridor beset by two tragic fires in the past two years.

Representatives from several area businesses, including Ridgewood Furniture, Foodtown, Freilich Jewelers, McKeon Funeral Home, Papa John’s Pizza and the new Beso Lounge, participated in the event.

Summer Streets continues the next two Sundays, July 31 and Aug. 7, from noon to 5 p.m. See our Out & About Editor’s Pick.