Bronx's Shoelace Park Swaps Bocce Courts For $1.7M Fitness Hub In Wakefield

• Shoelace Park, Bronx, NY has completed a $1.7 million adult fitness area near East 225th Street.
• The project converted outdated bocce courts into a fitness hub with 10 exercise components, including five accessible stations.
• Improvements include new seating, security lighting, shade trees and reconstructed pathways.
• The project connects to the broader Bronx River Greenway and upgrades outlined in the Shoelace Park Master Plan.
• The park is accessible via the 2 and 5 subway lines at 225th Street and Metro-North’s Harlem Line at Williams Bridge.

New Fitness Area Completed at Shoelace Park

Construction has been completed on a new adult fitness area at Shoelace Park in Wakefield, The Bronx, delivering a $1.7 million recreational improvement for the neighborhood. The capital project transformed outdated bocce courts near East 225th Street into a dedicated fitness hub featuring 10 exercise components. Five of the stations are fully accessible to patrons with disabilities. The improvements form part of ongoing efforts to modernize Shoelace Park and strengthen its connections to the Bronx River Greenway.

 

 

New Fitness and Accessibility Features

The fitness area includes a range of exercise equipment designed to support outdoor physical activity. Five components were specifically designed to provide accessibility for patrons with disabilities. Additional improvements include new seating, security lighting and shade trees, creating a more comfortable and usable recreational space. The surrounding pathways were also reconstructed to improve connections between the fitness area and other sections of the park.

Path and Landscape Improvements

As part of the project, crews rebuilt the existing approach path with new asphalt and added a secondary route with concrete steps providing access from the northern portion of the park. Southern pathways were also reconstructed to connect the fitness hub with other upgraded portions of Shoelace Park. Landscape improvements included replanting a triangular bed in the flood-prone southwestern portion of the park with water-tolerant species. The surrounding path was regraded to improve drainage, while pruning opened sight lines to improve visibility and safety.

Part of the Shoelace Park Master Plan

Shoelace Park stretches from East Gun Hill Road to East 230th Street and forms part of the Bronx River Greenway. The park's main pathway follows the roadbed of the original Bronx River Parkway, which was completed in 1925 before being relocated to its current alignment alongside the Bronx River in 1950. The former roadbed was later incorporated into the park's upper pathway. In 2019, work began to transform portions of the route into a multi-use trail with improved wayfinding, seating and green infrastructure, following recommendations from the 2010 Shoelace Park Master Plan.

Improved Access to Bronx Recreation

The completed fitness area adds another recreational amenity to Shoelace Park while improving accessibility and connections throughout the property. The park is served by the 2 and 5 subway lines at the 225th Street station, while Metro-North Railroad's Harlem Line provides additional access at Williams Bridge station near Gun Hill Road.