The 22nd annual Amazing Bronx River Flotilla is a celebration of the Bronx River as a revitalized resource for recreation, education, and enjoyment. On Saturday, May 15th, over 50 paddlers journeyed 5 miles down the river in canoes and kayaks, traveling past new and restored parks including the Bronx River Forest, River Park, and Concrete Plant Park, ending at Starlight Park.
Taking approximately six hours to complete, brave canoers and kayakers embarked on the five-mile trip down the Bronx River, from Shoelace Park at 219th St. to Starlight Park, to celebrate the river’s revitalization and officially kick off the paddling season.
NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP, joined Bronx River Alliance Executive Director Maggie Greenfield, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, State Assembly Member Karines Reyes, City Council Member Kevin Riley, Founder of Loving the Bronx and Chair of the Bronx River Alliance Board of Directors Nilka Martell, community groups and dozens of paddlers to kick off the annual Amazing Bronx River Flotilla!
The Bronx River Alliance was established in 2001 as a joint partnership organization with NYC Parks and dozens of other partners to protect, improve and restore the Bronx River corridor so that it can be a healthy ecological, recreational, educational and economic resource for the communities through which the river flows. Since that time, NYC Parks and the Alliance have planted nearly 100,000 trees along the river corridor, removed over 650 tons of garbage and nearly 7,000 tires from the river itself. In addition, this partnership has resulted in over $197 M allocated to developing the Bronx River Greenway and restoring the ecological health of the river. Over 44 acres of waterfront parkland have been created or improved including Hunts Point Riverside Park, Concrete Plant Park and Starlight Park.
In April 2021, NYC Parks & The Bronx River Alliance teamed up on another annual river revitalization effort — the “Running of the Fish.” During this annual fish restocking, 250 Alewife, a type of river herring, are released into the river, as part of continued biodiversity revitalization efforts on the river.