Bronx BP saves Christmas in Riverdale

We’ve been having both, Christmas and Hanukkah, events here each year. It’s always cold, but it’s always worth it.”

Assemblymember Jeffrey Dinowitz

Although the Grinch was present at Riverdale’s annual tree-lighting ceremony at Bell Tower Park on Saturday, Dec. 14, he couldn’t steal Christmas.

The historic memorial at 239th Street and Riverdale Avenue, has been home to several functions in the community, including the decades-old holiday tradition. But there were whispers amongst locals there might not be a tree to light this year due to lack of funding.

One individual particularly stressed over the possibility of cancelling this heartfelt tradition, Laura Levine-Pinedo, executive director of the Kingsbridge Riverdale Van Cortlandt development corp. (KRVC).

Pinedo, a life-long resident of Kingsbridge, has had her hand in practically every event the community has held. To save Christmas, she reached out to the Bronx Borough President’s office and voiced her concerns.

 The BP swooped in and saved the day, and recognized the work of her special events coordinator, Sonia Malave, who worked in tandem with the NYC Dept. of Parks and Recreation. Gibson was joined by several elected officials, including Assemblymember Jeffrey Dinowitz, Councilmember Eric Dinowitz, Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark and Rep. Ritchie Torres.

“This is a tradition of Riverdale, and we have to keep this going, right?” Gibson rhetorically asked an excited crowd as she donned a candy cane headband. “Even being here at the Bell Tower Memorial, I’m thinking of our veterans.”

The Bell Tower Memorial was named such in 1987, in honor of the centuries-old bell placed there in 1930. Cast in 1762, the Spanish bell was captured by General Winfield Scott during the Mexican War. It lived in Greenwich Village in Manhattan and the Riverdale firehouse before landing at its forever home.

Students from IN-Tech Academy sang inclusive holiday songs – Jose Feliciano’s “Feliz Navidad” and Laurie Berkner’s, “Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel,” among them. 

Gibson expressed the void she felt during the holiday season with the recent passing of her mother this year, as tears welled up in her eyes.

“Vanessa, your mother’s looking down on you with pride. We are so proud of everything you have done for our borough,” Torres said as he shared some words of inspiration and perseverance.

Gibson looked up to the sky as Clark hugged her dearly and whispered kind words in her ear.

Despite the frigid temperatures, the wholesomeness of the event kept locals warm, along with some hot chocolate provided by KRVC.

“We’ve been having both, Christmas and Hanukkah, events here each year,” said Jeffrey Dinowitz. “It’s always cold, but it’s always worth it.”