NYPA Presents Check for over $6,600 to South Bronx Catholic Elementary School for Playground Fence

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Paul DeMichele
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June 2, 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BRONX—The New York Power Authority (NYPA) Wednesday (June 1) presented a $6,625 check to the St. Luke’s School in the Bronx for a new playground fence, with construction to begin as early as next week.

“The only negative part about the timing of this gracious donation is that I’ll be leaving next year and won’t be able to enjoy this for very long with the children,” said a smiling Sister Pat Howell, OP, who accepted the ceremonial check for the elementary school, which is located at 608 East 139th Street.

“This has been a long time coming,” said parent Joey Maisonet of the new fence. “I’m so happy to know that our kids will now have a safe and clean place to come and have fun.”

The new fence will be three feet higher than the existing one, helping to prevent trespassing during after-school hours. That will support other measures that have been taken to secure the area.  The 100-by-100 square-foot playground, which includes a basketball court, is currently surrounded by an aging, beat-up 12-foot fence that has long needed replacing.

Sobeida Cruz, NYPA, director of Public and Governmental Affairs, presented the check.

“The Power Authority is happy to have a role in making the new fence at St. Luke’s possible and assisting Sister Pat and her staff in enhancing the security of the school. The new fence also is sure to be an aesthetic improvement over the current one,” said Cruz.

The Power Authority provides lower cost power for thousands of public facilities in the Bronx and the other boroughs, including schools, hospitals, municipal buildings, and the subways and commuter trains.  It has also undertaken major energy efficiency improvements for those facilities. In the Bronx alone, these measures have cut annual electric bills by more than $11 million a year and reduced annual greenhouse gas emissions by over 112,000 tons.

NYPA is also a leader in clean alternative generating technologies, including fuel cells and solar power. Among its installations are three fuel cells at a wastewater treatment plant at Hunts Point, a fuel cell at the North Central Bronx Hospital, and a roof-mounted solar power project at the Gun Hill Bus Depot.