Kickoff Ceremony Held For Tibbetts Brook Park Gazebo Restoration Project
L-R: Christine LaPorta, Deputy Director WPF; Seth Mandelbaum, Chair WPF, Walter Sedovic, Architect; Westchester County Executive George Latimer, Don and Carolyn Moriarity, Donors; Westchester County Parks Commissioner Kathy O’Connor
By Josefa PagJosefa Paganuzzi, Thompson & Bender for Westchester Parks
Dec. 8, 2021: The long-awaited Tibbetts Brook Park Gazebo Restoration project is about to become a reality. Westchester Parks Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit organization that provides private support to preserve the County’s Park system and improve the quality of life in our communities, hosted a kickoff ceremony for the restoration of the beloved gazebo in Yonkers Thursday morning. The beautification project is made possible thanks to a generous gift from Carolyn and Don Moriarity of Bronxville, longtime supporters of Westchester County Parks.
The ceremony took place directly in front of the Romanesque structure, which boasts nine elegant arches and is 16 feet tall from the platform, 20 feet above the water. The project was identified as a priority by Westchester Parks Foundation during the last decade, as the project perfectly encompasses the organization’s mission to enhance and invest in the preservation of Westchester County Parks. Walter Sedovic Architects, based in Irvington, is the architecture firm chosen for the project.
Restoration sketch. Courtesy of Ken Uhle, Westchester County Parks Department
Originally conceived during the roaring 20's as a lakeside pavilion and bandstand, fine detailing remains under layers of cement patches. Paint coatings and graffiti will be removed to help restore the original finish. The project will also re-establish its historic relationship to its setting, on a point projecting into the lake that has long eroded away. Enhanced plantings, lighting and sound will allow new staging for music, plays, opera, weddings & gatherings: A "Mini Tanglewood at Tibbetts".
Local leaders, elected officials and architects gathered at the site to kick off the project that is expected to be finished by Fall 2022, pending all permits and approvals. Seth Mandelbaum, Chair of Westchester Parks Foundation stated “The historic gazebo is not only original to the park, but a key piece of Westchester Parks Foundation’s efforts at Tibbetts Brook Park, which also includes the removal of invasive plants from the Lake, to restore the lake area for recreational use. We are thrilled this project is finally happening.”
Westchester County Executive George Latimer said: “The restoration of the gazebo at Tibbetts Brook Park in Yonkers is another example of how we can take what we already have and revitalize it so that current residents and visitors have the chance to properly utilize and enjoy all that Westchester County has to offer.”
Westchester County Parks Commissioner Kathy O’Connor said, “The Westchester Parks Foundation and its volunteers have been working diligently to update several sections of Tibbetts Brook Park. With generous funds from donors, that work is now expanding to the gazebo to help make Tibbetts one of Westchester County’s must-visit parks.”
Photo of the Gazebo taken recently. Photo courtesy of Westchester Parks Foundation
Tibbetts Brook Park is a 161-acre park located in the Lincoln Park section of Yonkers in Westchester County, New York. Opened in 1927, it was one of the first developed parks in Westchester County and currently serves residents with activities that include swimming, hiking, sports, nature watching and fishing. Tibbetts is bordered by the Cross County Parkway to the north, Saw Mill River Parkway to the west, McLean Avenue to the south and Midland Avenue to the East.
Photo of Gazebo in 1927. Courtesy of Westchester County Parks.
The park was named for George Tippet, a local pioneer settler during the colonial period. Because his descendants were royalists during the Revolution, the property was confiscated and sold by the state. The low grounds along the western branch of Tibbetts Brook had once been used by the city of Yonkers as a refuse dump, which polluted the water. The swimming pool at Tibbetts was constructed because children were swimming in the brook. The park is now seen as a refuge from urban living, an oasis of green surrounded by the city.
The Gazebo is believed to have been constructed around 1927, the same time the park was officially opened to the public.
Photos courtesy Westchester Parks Foundation
Community Service Organizations Directory
Bronxville Beautification Council
Organized in 1982 and incorporated in 1993, the Bronxville Beautification Council (BBC) is a not for profit organization administered by a Board of Directors. Its mission is to enhance and maintain the natural and man-made beauty of Bronxville Village, with emphasis on the downtown business district of Bronxville. The BBC uses the dollars raised in its annual spring solicitation letter to residents to fund the mum, tulip and summer flower plantings downtown and at traffic intersections, as well as the summer hanging baskets. Every few years the group spearheads such major endeavors as the renovation of Leonard Morange Square on the west side of the railroad tracks and the beautification of the Lawrence Hospital traffic circle, which included the addition of plants and the building of the fountain that now makes a gracious western portal to our town. The BBC also works with other civic groups to monitor the aesthetics of retail signage, the consistency of sidewalk materials, and litter and graffiti. During Beautify Bronxville Week, the BBC sponsors a poetry reading and works with Scout groups on the annual village clean-up.
Bronxville Beautification Council
PO Box 127
Bronxville, New York 10708
914-779-6123
Bronxville Boy Scouts
The village of Bronxville has a long tradition of scouting. “The troops and packs of Bronxville have maintained the finest scouting organizations and have taught the boys of the Bronxville area to be leaders and outstanding members of the local, national and global communities.”
There are several Boy Scout Troops in Bronxville, including Troops 1, 2, 4, and 5.
Bronxvillle Girls Scouts
The Girls Scouts is “the world’s preeminent organization dedicated solely to girls where, in an accepting and nurturing environment, girls build character and skills for success in the real world.” In Girl Scouts, “girls discover the fun, friendship and power of girls together. Through the many enriching experiences provided by Girl Scouts, they can grow courageous and strong.”
Bronxville Historical Conservancy
The Bronxville Historical Conservancy was founded in 1998 to further the understanding and appreciation of the history and current life of the village. The Conservancy furthers its mission through the presentation of programs, publications, lectures and special events that foster an awareness of the village's architectural, artistic and cultural heritage, and lends its support for projects designed to strengthen and preserve those legacies. Anyone who is interested in the Bronxville and its history can become a member; varying levels of membership are available.
Bronxville Historical Conservancy
PO Box 989
Bronxville, New York 10708
http://bronxvillehistoricalconservancy.org/
Bronxville School Foundation
The Bronxville School Foundation, founded in 1991, is a non-profit organization independent from the school with the sole purpose of supporting the school. The Foundation raises money each year through donations from school families, community members, and alumni, among others.These contributions fund grants that provide cutting-edge technology, innovative programs and curriculum and other resources that are beyond the scope of public school funding.
177 Pondfield Road
Bronxville, New York 10708
914-395-0515
https://www.bronxvilleschoolfoundation.org/
Bronxville Women’s Club
The Bronxville Women’s Club offers lectures, exhibits and concerts. It also has a beautiful clubhouse which is available for rental for events.
135 Midland Avenue
Bronxville, New York 10708
914-337-3252
www.bronxvillewomensclub.org
Bronxville Youth Council
The Bronxville Youth Council provides volunteer and leadership opportunities for high school students in the village of Bronxville.
177 Pondfield Road
Bronxville, New York 10708
914-395-0500 ext 1789
Counseling Center
Founded in 1971, the mission of the Counseling Center “is to provide a wide range of psychotherapeutic and counseling services to individuals, couples and families by a staff of highly trained, experience and dedicated psychotherapists.
The Counseling Center
180 Pondfield Road
Bronxville, New York 10708
914-793-3388
www.counselingcenter.org
Community Fund of Bronxville, Eastchester & Tuckahoe
The mission of the Community Fund is “to support broad social services in Bronxville 10708, Eastchester and Tuckahoe through grants and technical support to local agencies and community projects. All money raised here in our community stays here in our community.”
15 Park Place
Bronxville, New York 10708
914-337-8808
www.thecommunityfund.org
Friends of the Bronxville Library
The Friends of the Bronxville Library is a not-for-profit membership association whose mission is to focus attention on the “Library’s services, facilities and needs” as well as sponsor projects and provide materials that are beyond the reach of the Library’s regular budget and perform other services.
Junior League of Bronxville
The Junior League of Bronxville is “an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and to improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.”
Rotary Club of Bronxville
The mission of the Rotary Club of Bronxville is to “encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and to encourage and foster (1) the development of friendships within the community as an opportunity for service, (2) high ethical standards in business and professions, (3) the application of the ideal of service of each member to his personal and business and community life and (4) the advancement of international understanding, good will and peace through a world fellowship.”
Senior Citizens of Bronxville
Senior Citizens of Bronxville is a not-for-profit organization that provides services and programs to seniors within the 10708 zip code area. “Programs cover a wide range of activities from educational seminars and cultural enrichment, to community services, bridge classes and exercise.”
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