The Bronx River Alliance announced that Starlight Park, a reclaimed and expanding park which opened in 2013, has received $4.4 million from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to strengthen Starlight’s shoreline along the Bronx River.
The money will be used to re-naturalize the shoreline, restore habitat function, and remove contaminated soil within the park. These reinforcements to the shore line will help protect the Bronx community from future extreme weather events such as Hurricane Sandy.
Grant funds will be used to restore 1.7 acres of floodplain functions on the Bronx River waterfront. This will be accomplished in part by re-naturalizing 740 feet of armored shoreline and restoring native salt marsh grasses in 0.55 acres of new wetlands. The project would also apply storm water Best Management Practices by integrating rain gardens and infiltration basins
NYC Parks and the Alliance submitted the application for these early this year to the Hurricane Sandy Coastal Resiliency competitive grant program. New York City has set aside $12 million to complete phase two of Starlight Park which will include a pedestrian bridge connecting the existing and the new sections of the park, Greenway bike paths, seating areas, and additional lighting.