Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe today were joined by Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion, Assembly Member Michael Benjamin, and City Council Member Joel Rivera to celebrate the $1.6 million renovation of the Crotona Park Tennis House.  The project includes extensive interior upgrades to the electrical and HVAC systems, enlarged public restrooms, a new meeting room for activities, locker rooms and storage space. The building will continue to serve as a rest area for tennis and baseball players who use the park and will also accommodate Parks & Recreation's District three headquarters.

"We're making significant improvements in our City parks and here in the Bronx, over the next several years, we'll be investing more than $300 million," said Mayor Bloomberg. "Preserving open space and parkland throughout the five boroughs is important to improving the quality of life for all New Yorkers and the renovation of Crotona Park will help us do that. This tennis house will be a second home for Crotona Park's budding tennis stars and continue to serve as a center for the community."

"The newly-restored tennis house at Crotona Park will complement the already extensive and diverse recreational opportunities available at this beloved Bronx Park," said Commissioner Benepe. "We are grateful to Mayor Bloomberg, as well as the Borough President and City Council, for allocating the funds necessary to see this project through to completion, and for continuing to build upon the recreational spaces of this borough."

"Today we celebrate another milestone in the renaissance of Bronx," said Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrión.  "The investment and renovation of the Crotona Park Tennis House is another example of unprecedented revitalization happening throughout the borough.   Now, our future Venus Williams and Andy Roddicks will enjoy amenities on par with professional tennis facilities. As they say in tennis - game, set, and match goes to The Bronx."

"The Crotona Park Tennis House is not only an example of how we are building a better Bronx but will also lead to enhanced physical activity by our youth," said Council Member Joel Rivera.  "These renovations will allow community residents to fully enjoy the recreational facilities within Crotona Park.  This is another example of what can be accomplished when elected officials collaborate for the benefit of the community.  Allocating this funding should help to ensure the future of such events as the GHI Tennis Classic and other activities within the park." 

Crotona Park has been one of the most important public parks in the Bronx for more than 100 years. A sanctuary of rolling grass, lofty trees, baseball diamonds, a pool, and a peaceful lake, it is home to a variety of active recreation facilities. The park includes five baseball diamonds, 20 tennis courts, nine playgrounds, and 26 handball courts. It is the largest park in the South Bronx and sixth largest in the borough.

Parks & Recreation has spent over $113 million for Bronx park improvements over the past four and a half years, with new waterfront parks, greenways, and athletic facilities transforming the borough.  There is currently an additional $102 million in active park projects in development, including the creation of Concrete Plant Park and Barretto Point Park, which will expand waterfront access in the South Bronx, while the Bronx River Greenway will connect the South Bronx and Westchester border with a 15-mile multi-use bike and pedestrian path as it is developed over the next decade. Parks & Recreation is in the midst of a major initiative to improve parks throughout the borough.  More than $300 million will be spent on parks renovations over the next few years, with more than $220 million coming from the construction of the Croton Water Filtration Facility.