While New York City has 520 Miles of Waterfront, the most of any city in the United States, access to our waterfront is not equitable throughout the city.

Though most boroughs are able to offer free kayaking and canoeing programs to the residents, residents in the Bronx have no such programs for the Harlem River.

The Bronx is 62 out of 62 counties in New York State in terms of Health Disparities and access to recreational activities in the form of a continuous greenway path along the Harlem River and recreational boating in the Harlem River would help address some of these health disparities.

Bronx communities along the Harlem River currently have no public access to on-water recreational activities, despite the beautiful natural resource of the Harlem River, that forms the boarder between the Borough of the Bronx and Upper Manhattan.

We, the undersigned, demand equitable access to the Bronx side of the Harlem River Waterfront, and petition the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation and the City of New York to:

• Work with the Harlem River Working Group to develop opportunities for free kayaking and canoeing on the Harlem River for Bronx Residents.
•  Allow the Harlem River Working Group to have a container at Depot Place (underneath the High Bridge) for secure boat storage along the Harlem River Waterfront.
• Support Community-Driven Initiatives designed to education and equip Bronx Residents with the skills and resources to enjoy the Harlem River by kayak and canoe.

We believe that access to recreational boating on the Harlem River Would:

• Promote Health and Wellness by encouraging outdoor activity an connecting residents with nature.
• Foster Community Engagement through shared experiences and collaborative programming
• Reduce Racial and Health Disparities by providing access to waterfront recreation.

Bronx Residents currently only have access to the Harlem River for less the a week once a year, with our partner Wilderness Inquiry, who brings canoes from the Mississippi River to give Bronx families access to our waterfront, support us in calling for New York City to give Bronx Residents access to the free programming that every other New York City Borough already receives.

We Urge the City of New York, Commissioner Donoghue and the Department of Parks and Recreation to work with Bronx Residents, the Harlem River Working Group and their supporters to make recreational boating a reality for our community.