Seton Park gets a revamp and ramps

It means so much to deliver upgrades that this community has specifically requested, and to offer the first skatepark in this area of the Bronx.”

Sue Donoghue, NYC Parks Commissioner

Seton Park has been improved with renovations, including the addition of a new skatepark and an adult fitness area, providing the surrounding communities with modern, active spaces for them to enjoy.

The nearly $4.6 million capital project was made possible through funding provided by Mayor Eric Adams’ office, Borough President Vanessa Gibson, City Council and the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY), a public authority providing finance and project management for local developments.

Located between Palisade and Independence Avenues and West 232nd and 235th streets, Seton Park’s Road to renovation began when a design for the park was released in 2020 and construction of Seton Park’s new renovations began in September 2023. 

The park’s new adult fitness area includes a variety of equipment including grass fiber-reinforced concrete playground boulders, allowing park users of all ages to exercise without using traditional equipment, according to NYC Parks.

The nearly 6,000-square-foot skatepark features ramps, pipes, handrails, stairs, pyramids and other skatepark obstacles as well as a bowl for local skaters to come and practice. 

The renovation project incorporated the planting of 19 new trees for shade during the summer months, including Zelkova, Linden and Dogwood trees, along with the installation of benches and ramps for ADA access to different levels of the park.

Other new amenities at Seton Park include new lighting, trash receptacles and a water fountain made specifically for refilling water bottles.

Seton Park also has basketball and tennis courts along with soccer fields and a playground. The park’s baseball fields were renovated in 2019.

A local resident who lives along the Riverdale and Spuyten Duyvil neighborhood border was testing out the skatepark’s new bells and whistles on his black scooter.

“I saw there was construction being done at the park recently – and I was interested in checking [the skatepark] out once construction ended,” the resident said, who would not provide his name for this article for privacy. “It was a nice, smooth ride.” 

NYC Parks seemed optimistic about the park’s new renovations being beneficial to the community, particularly as it gets closer to springtime.

“The new skatepark and adult fitness area add even more amenities for users of Seton Park,” NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue said in a statement about the park’s renovations. “It means so much to deliver upgrades that this community has specifically requested, and to offer the first skatepark in this area of the Bronx.” 

The park is named after Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, who was the founder of the Sisters of Charity Federation’s American branch and among the first Americans to be canonized as a saint, according to womenshistory.org. Seton Park opened in the mid-1970s, but before Park’s took the land, it was home to a tuberculosis hospital for 60 years which closed in 1955 and was operated by the Sisters of Charity Federation.

A groundbreaking ceremony presenting the completed renovation of Seton Park was planned to take place in mid-January but was canceled due to the extreme cold and icy conditions.

“I’ve loved this park since I first took office,” Councilman Eric Dinowitz said, who secured nearly $40 million for amenities for parks within the confines of Council District 11 along with his predecessor Councilman Andrew Cohen.