Alright, good afternoon, everybody.

My name is Vim Parisi, Parks Commissioner here, and we are on site on Quaker Ridge Road here at Ward Acres Park, and uh we're gonna get to uh why this is such a historic day within our parks department within the park here.

Uh I just want to thank uh our parks and recreation department, our parks maintenance crew, especially on site, uh Deputy Commissioner uh Lauren O'Connor Falcone and Park Supervisor Brian O.

Rourke.

Uh, also want to also want to thank fellow city officials supporting here today, police commissioner Reynolds, building commissioner Vaca.

Uh you're gonna hear from him soon.

Our city manager Will Melendez, Deputy City Manager Todd Costaldo, and uh and I especially want to thank um uh public works and our our city engineer Gino uh Fabrasil and his team uh overseeing this project on site here uh for this monumental work that has taken place, the first ever comfort station restrooms since 1960 for the first time here in Ward Acres Park.

Of course, also want to thank uh our elected officials, uh our mayor, Yadira Ramos Herbert, our councilwoman, uh Sarah Kay, that's been so instrumental in our advocacy and funding and spearheading uh these initiatives to take Ward Acres Park uh to the next level.

Want to thank Assemblywoman Amy Paulin for being here, State Senator Natalia Fernandez for being here.

Also want to thank our Ward Acres Conservancy Group.

We could not do what we do uh here, obviously at Ward Acres without uh their volunteerism uh and their support.

Uh so without further ado, uh I'd like to introduce you to the mayor of Neurochell.

Thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner.

I'll just also add um a that of thanks to our councilmember Matt Stern, who's also joining us here today.

And I will yield most of my time to Councilwoman Sarah Kay, who really has advocated for this.

But I'm just again, I'm uh to echo the Commissioner Parisi's thanks, just really grateful for her leadership, but really the partnership and the professionalism of all of the different departments represented here today, and the fact that then the Ward Acres Conservancy, this is just a true community effort, and one of these assets that will last for decades and actually probably just expand access to this amazing park that we get to call um ours in New Rochelle.

And so I'm going to follow the order here and I'm passing it on to our city manager.

I'll make it quick too.

Um so thanks for coming out.

It's uh it's really important step in uh the legacy of this park.

Uh it's uh years of public engagement that has gotten us here.

And uh I really want to thank, and I we did a lot of thanks, but uh parks department staff, our engineering staff for really putting this together, city management staff, our deputy city manager put a lot of work into these projects.

Uh and most of all, our councilperson Sarah K for your advocacy and your passion and your vision in the conservancy.

So, as the mayor said, this is something that's gonna be here for a while, and it's gonna really go to enhance the experience of everybody who uses this beautiful park.

Thanks.

And before I introduce uh Councilwoman Saraka, I need to apologize.

I I only had two council people that I thought I could keep off the top of my head.

So this this is a situation as I age that I have to write down to remember two names.

Mr.

Stern, my friend Matt.

I'm sorry.

Before I introduce um the councilwoman, you know, in terms of a project overview, uh it started years back when we got some investment in funding for the community garden.

Then we got uh investment in funding for the dog park.

Um but when we really started implementing the master plan, which Councilwoman Kay was so instrumental at when she first came on City Council.

That's really when this thing went to the next level.

And you know, when you look about the the trails grant that we landed from New York State, and when you look at the investment that we're able to get for the barn vision property moving forward and and and what we do there, uh, and then you look at this situation here, whether it's the ADA pathways or the fact that this park, which since the pandemic has gone to the next level in terms of uh park visitation, will actually have uh a restroom area for park visitors.

Um this is historic times for sure, Ward Acres Park, and we're very thankful uh to Councilwoman Sarah Kay for her support.

All right, good afternoon, everyone, and thank you all for being here for this exciting milestone for Ward Acres Park.

You know, on the surface, today's groundbreaking is about a restroom.

But to me, it's really about something much bigger.

Ward Acres has always been one of Neurochell's hidden treasures.

It's a place where you can slow down, reconnect with nature, and enjoy a sense of peace that's increasingly hard to find.

And one of the little girls looked around and said, I feel like we're on a hike or something.

And I just had to smile and laugh and said, yeah, you are.

And it that little girl had never been on a hike before that class visit.

And so that's one of the reasons this park is so special.

Our goal has never been to change ward acres, but to preserve it by making thoughtful investments that help get more people to experience and enjoy this park.

A restroom may not be the most glamorous project, but it's one of those improvements that can make a huge difference.

It means that families can stay longer.

School groups have one less barrier to visiting.

Community events become easier to host, and it just makes the park more welcoming and accessible.

So one of the things I'm most proud of is that we didn't wait for one large project or a big grant.

Instead, we focused on making steady investments over time that build on one another, whether it's the new signage, ADA pathways, a crosswalk, a bridge, trail maintenance, invasive removal, a new tree nursery, a restored meadow filled with wildflowers, and now this comfort station.

Each project makes our park a little stronger while preserving what we love about Ward Acres.

None of this happens alone, as you've heard, and I really want to thank the city staff and the city manager, our mayor, and my colleagues on council, our state and federal partners, the Ward Acres Conservancy and the Community Garden, and the many residents who have shared their ideas and continue to advocate for this park over the many years.

Today's groundbreaking is a really important milestone, but it's just another step in a much larger journey.

I'm excited to see this project move forward and even more excited to see the families and students and hikers and volunteers and neighbors who are going to benefit it for years to come.

So thank you again for being here and helping us continue to care for Neurchell's most one of her most remarkable places.

Thank you.