Dear Bronx Community Board No. 8,
I hope this message finds you well.
My name is Mike Melendez, and I am the president of the Paddleball Family Alliance (PFA), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to providing an outlet for the youth of NYC. Our goal is to help keep them off the streets by offering productive activities that foster healthy attitudes and lifestyles through the highly competitive sports of Paddleball and Handball.
We, the community of athletes and stakeholders who utilize the Van Cortlandt Stadium courts, are encouraged by the investment in our historic facility. However, the lack of official signage and public communication has led to confusion regarding the project’s status. Therefore, we submit this inquiry to obtain a formal project update to share with our player leagues and neighbors.
Additionally, myself and other community/stakeholders will be attending the Apr. 22nd Board meeting.
We respectfully request that NYC Parks and Community Board 8:
1. Clarify Facility Status & Continuity: Provide written confirmation that the current work under Project X092-225M is a “State of Good Repair” restoration intended to preserve and refresh all nine (9) existing handball/paddleball walls, confirming that they are not slated for demolition, removal, or replacement.
2. Repair the Structural Envelope: Describe what the current work includes to address the structural fitness of the stadium and bleachers, ensuring that the handball/paddleball court walls—which serve as the foundation for the bleachers—are part of a safe, dry, and stable playing environment that is recreation-ready and player-friendly for the 2026 season.
3. Execute Professional Resurfacing & Modernization: Confirm plans to replace the uneven, cracked asphalt aprons with high-performance surfaces and clear line striping to eliminate “trip hazards” and ensure recreation-ready and player-friendly conditions for the 2026 season.
4. Uphold Master Plan & ADA Objectives: Ensure that the “Stadium District” remains a priority zone for heritage sports preservation, as outlined in the 2034 Master Plan.
5. Share a “Day One” Reopening Timeline: Provide a definitive schedule for the removal of construction fencing and the return of public access, including the posting of signage at the construction site to keep daily park users and regional athletes informed.
The Van Cortlandt Paddleball and Handball courts are critical to our community, serving as vital spaces for exercise and socialization. The PFA utilizes these courts for youth clinics and Manhattan College paddleball workshops.
Thank you for your attention to these matters. We look forward to your prompt response.
Sincerely,
Mike Melendez – President – Paddleball Family Alliance
and Andre Les Pierre