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Welcome to the Park Hill Residents' Association

Candidates and City Officials Answer Community Questions at PHRA Board Zoom Meetings Oct. 22 and 28

 

Park Hill residents took advantage of two opportunities in October to listen to current and potential public officials discuss their priorities and answer their questions. At a Zoom meeting on October 22, candidates for a variety of state and local offices discussed their platforms and responded to community questions. Participants, and the offices they are running for, included Andrea Stewart-Cousins (State Senate, 35th District); Nader Sayegh (State Assembly, 90th District); Mimi Rocah (Westchester County District Attorney); Nilda Morales Horowitz (Family Court Judge); and Dan Romano, Verris Shako, Karen Best, and Tom Daly (all running for City Court Judge). 


On October 28, Park Hill residents joined the PHRA Board via Zoom for a meeting with the new Yonkers Police Department 3rd Precinct Captain Michael Mulvey and City Councilmembers including Tasha Diaz, John Rubbo, and Corazon Pineda-Isaac. After the officials introduced themselves and answered several prepared questions, residents were invited to ask their own questions. Topics covered at the meetings included racial and social justice, crime, traffic, sanitation, taxes, and local development. We will be posting video recordings of both meetings soon so those who missed them can watch the discussions, and will follow up with you as we get more answers and results from our leaders. Meanwhile, minutes of the meeting can be found here. 

Thanks so much to the Park Hill neighbors who participated in these events. Showing public officials that Park Hill residents are engaged and passionate about their community helps us to have a bigger voice at City Hall and beyond. We will continue to work with city, county, and state government officials and will invite the community to participate whenever possible.


Thanks to All for a Successful PHRA Annual Tag Sale!


Many thanks to the sellers, buyers, and volunteers who made the PHRA 2020 tag sale a success! With almost 30 households on the map and several "pop-up" sales as well, shoppers had plenty of variety to choose from. The weather cooperated to provide lots of opportunities for neighbors and visitors to socialize safely and discover new treasures, as evidenced by the photos below (all courtesy of Lucy Vigilant-Smith). We appreciate your participation and look forward to next year's sale!



A Big Thanks to Participants in Park Hill Fall Cleanup Events!

In our recent email survey, trash was one of the topics that residents mentioned most often as a concern. To help tackle this tough issue, the PHRA organized a series of cleanup events in September and October. Neighbors and PHRA Board members joined forces to collect trash on Rumsey Road on September 19th (in collaboration with the Yonkers Land Conservancy), on Courter Avenue and the McLean ramps to the Saw Mill River Parkway on September 26th, and on Park Hill Avenue on October 4th. Participants enjoyed the crisp fall air while meeting new neighbors and beautifying the community. One additional cleanup opportunity remains: On Saturday and Sunday, October 17-18, 9 AM-noon, there will be a maintenance and cleanup event at Leslie Sutherland Park (see article above to RSVP for this event!) Refreshments will be provided for volunteers at this socially distanced event, along with supplies such as vests, garbage bags, and gloves.

The PHRA is currently working on several other measures to combat trash in our neighborhood. After meeting with the PHRA Board and listening to residents' concerns in August, Councilmember Tasha Diaz has put in a work order for the city to post No Dumping signs at several locations. In addition, the Board is working with the Council to explore the addition of garbage cans on busy streets and evaluating a sponsorship of the Mayor's Adopt-A-Mile program (see here for more information). We thank you for your valuable input, and will keep you informed as progress continues!

Rumsey Road cleanup on September 19th, 2020. All photos by Lucy Vigilant-Smith.

Cleanup on Sawmill River Parkway ramp to Putnam Avenue, September 26th, 2020.

Park Hill Avenue cleanup participants on October 4th, 2020.

Stay Informed... Join the PHRA Email List
In addition to updating the website, the PHRA sends emails to members and other interested parties with information on upcoming events or news of interest to Park Hill residents. While we would love for you to become a member, we invite you to simply sign up for the email list to get the latest on what's going on in the neighborhood. Your privacy is important to us, and we do not share our email lists. To join, simply click on "Add Me To Your Mailing List" at the upper left-hand corner of this page. To join PHRA as a member, click the "Member Sign Up" tab. Thanks for your interest, and we look forward to seeing you at future events! 

Community Input Makes PHRA Board Meeting with City and County Officials a Success!
Many thanks to those of you who sent in questions and comments for the City and County officials who attended the PHRA Board Meeting on August 13th. The excellent input we received was extremely valuable to an open and constructive dialogue with our guests: Jose Alvarado, District 17 Representative to the Westchester County Board of Legislators; Mike Khader, Yonkers City Council President; Tasha Diaz, Yonkers City Council 3rd District; and Tom Meier, Yonkers Department of Public Works Commissioner. (2nd District Councilmember/Majority Leader Corazon Pineda Isaac and 4th District Councilmember John Rubbo were unable to attend, but are receptive to Park Hill's concerns and will participate in future meetings.) Our discussion is summarized in the meeting minutes, and we will be following up with you on specific topics in future emails. Meanwhile, if you would like to contact your elected officials directly, the contact information for city, county and state elected officials for Park Hill can be found on the Yonkers Government tab of the PHRA website. 

To better serve Park Hill residents, the PHRA Board will begin posting our monthly meeting minutes on the website, where you can find them under the Documents tab. We also will be updating the website to provide more content and community resources. Please feel free to contact us with questions, suggestions, and comments at questions@parkhillyonkers.org. Thank you!

City Councilmember Tasha Diaz, County Board of Legislators Member Jose Alvarado, and City Council President Mike Khader speaking with the PHRA Board on August 13. Department of Public Works Commissioner Tom Meier participated by phone. Photos: Claudia Espinoza.

PARK HILL REPORTER



Summer 2020
Fall 2019
Winter 2019


 


A BRIEF HISTORY OF PARK HILL


In 1888, the American Real Estate Company established the Park Hill section of Yonkers. They created a community amid one of the most naturally beautiful areas in Westchester County. The neighborhood quickly attracted people who worked in Manhattan, but who wanted to live in a more tranquil setting. Among Park Hill's early residents were celebrities from the stage, screen and radio. The English actor Richard Bennett and his daughters Joan and Constance lived here. Dennis O'Brien, the corporate counsel for United Artists, hosted parties at his Park Hill home where guests included Charlie Chaplin, George M. Cohan, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks. Alfred and Dora McCann broadcast their WOR radio program from their Park Hill house, and drummer Gene Krupa made his home here. A variety of artists still live here in a distinctive community where they are neighbors with plumbers, doctors, secretaries, clerks, teachers and others. A recent profile of our neighborhood in the New York Times delves into a little more of this history.