In 2006, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene issued a report with alarming news for the Bronx community of Highbridge.  In almost every health category: premature death, HIV infection, heart disease, drug and alcohol abuse, etc., this community has the worst record in the entire city.

No one is in a better position to address these serious issues than the management of the New York Yankees.

While publicized as philanthropists upstate and in Florida, the Yankees have never done much of anything for Highbridge, their host community. They took away Macomb’s Dam Park for the construction of the new stadium, destroying 400 mature oak trees in the face of community opposition. Today, many residents endure the effects of construction.  dust clouds, construction noise, rusty tap water and flickering lights.  In spite of all of these Yankee-generated hardships, they refused to contribute to the new Metro North station, of which their fans will be the primary beneficiaries.

Such selfishness cannot stand and it’s high time that the Yankees give something substantive to Highbridge.  Nothing would be better than to fund the construction of the long-sought Community Resource and Recreation Center.  The Center would provide comprehensive programs to deal with drug/alcohol abuse, HIV infection, etc., a major first step in addressing the area’s health crisis.  It would feature youth programs and space for meetings. In addition, paramedics and doctors could provide services there which would alleviate overcrowded hospital emergency rooms.

There is a second way in which the Yankees can be good neighbors. The stadium project involves the construction of a huge parking garage (Garage B) only half a block from residential buildings in both directions. While all over the city, various initiatives such as congestion pricing and green roofs are being discussed to relieve traffic congestion and air pollution, this garage would bring more of both directly into the community. There is little doubt that car exhaust is a major contributor to the area’s health crisis.

There have been many problems in financing the construction of the parking garages to the point that, apparently, the proposed Garage D has been dropped even though it was to be located in an uninhabited area south of 161st Street. How this garage could be dropped while Garage B (in the center of the community) is retained is mind-boggling. Yankee management could easily request a second look at the construction blueprints so that a modified plan would place all garages south of 161st St. where no one lives. This would help to alleviate the health crisis and is in line with common sense.

Finally, the Yankees could work with the city to tear down the present municipal parking garage located on River Avenue and replace it with a park. This park would be a fair compensation for the taking of Macomb’s Dam Park, would place it right in the middle of the community for easy access and provide trees to absorb more pollutants.

The Yankees are in a position to help and have the resources to make a difference.  Residents of the Bronx can help by writing to the Yankees at "Community Relations, Yankee Stadium, Bronx NY 10451" and challenging them to demonstrate their love for the Bronx by helping what is the poorest Congressional district in the nation.

John Rozankowski
Bedford Park