Macombs Dam Park facts for kids
Macombs Dam Park (pronounced mə-KOOMZ) is a well-known park in the Concourse area of the Bronx, New York City. This park is located near the Harlem River and the Macombs Dam Bridge. It sits between Jerome Avenue and the Major Deegan Expressway. The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation takes care of the park.
For several years, from August 2006 to April 2012, most of Macombs Dam Park was closed. This was because a new Yankee Stadium was being built nearby. Before the stadium construction, the park was about 28 acres (11.5 hectares) in size. It had many sports fields, including ones for baseball, softball, basketball, football, and soccer. Sometimes, parts of the park were used for extra parking when the New York Yankees played home games.
The Park's Early Days
Macombs Dam Park first opened in 1899. At that time, much of the Bronx was still farmland. City planners often set aside large green spaces. This helped make sure new neighborhoods would be good places to live.
Similar large parks, like Central Park in Manhattan and Prospect Park in Brooklyn, were already popular. Many people believe Macombs Dam Park is just as important as these famous parks.
In 1923, the original Yankee Stadium opened very close to the park. Later, the Bronx County Courthouse opened in 1934. Many apartment buildings, some with beautiful Art Deco designs, were built around the park in the 1920s and 1930s.
Changes for the New Yankee Stadium
When the new Yankee Stadium was planned, local officials promised that new parks would be built to replace the old ones. The new stadium cost a lot of money, about $1.6 billion. This money came from New York City taxpayers.
After the stadium was finished, people in the area did get some new places to play. Some new ballfields were built along the Harlem River. These are about half a mile from where the old Macombs Dam and Mullaly Park used to be.
Other new play areas were built on top of parking garages. These areas have artificial turf and are counted as replacement parkland. However, these rooftop parks are closed on game days to make room for fans' cars. This means they are closed for about 81 days each year during the baseball season.
The site of the old Yankee Stadium, which was built in 1923, also became new parkland. The building above ground was taken down. But the underground clubhouses were kept and are still used for the new park.
Building these new recreation areas cost at least $150 million. Many people felt that simply improving the old Macombs Dam and Mullaly parks would have been much cheaper, around $25 million. The city still owns the land under the new stadium. However, the Yankees do not pay rent or property taxes for it.
Some local residents and park supporters were not happy about the changes. They pointed out that 377 large oak trees were cut down. They also felt that state and federal laws meant to protect parkland were not followed. They worried that some buildings near Macombs Dam Park might become run-down because of the project. Despite these concerns, the new stadium opened on April 3, 2009, with a game against the Chicago Cubs.
Dog-Friendly Areas
Most of Macombs Dam Park is a special area where dogs can run without a leash. However, some specific spots, like the running track, have signs saying that dogs are not allowed.
