Honor Bronx Day in Albany

Assembly Resolution No. 1352 BY: M. of A. Benedetto COMMEMORATING the Annual Bronx Day in Albany celebration on June 12, 2018 WHEREAS, Each and every city, town, village, and hamlet within its borders proudly resonates with the rich and noble history of the State of New York; and WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize those events which foster civic pride and highlight the contributions of the communities which comprise the noble body of this great Empire State to the progression and development of our society; and WHEREAS, Attendant to such concerns, and in full accord with its long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commemorate the Annual Bronx Day in Albany celebration; this festive affair will take place on Tuesday, June 12, 2018, at The Egg in Albany, New York; and WHEREAS, The purpose of the annual Bronx Day in Albany celebration is to promote Bronx pride, and allow Bronxites to share their vision for the future of their borough, as well as introduce their products and services; and WHEREAS, The Bronx was incorporated in 1914, the last of New York State's 62 counties to be established; however, this diverse municipality has played a noteworthy role in the evolution of New York from its early beginnings; and WHEREAS, Forty-two square miles in size, and the only section of New York City on the mainland, The Bronx is named in memory of the area's first European settler, Jonas Bronck; its earliest settlement was in

1841, the New York and Harlem Railroad began regular commuter service between The Bronx and Manhattan; by 1895, the area had become a part of New York City; and WHEREAS, At the turn of the century, the quiet suburban streets and farms of The Bronx began to yield to rapidly expanding factories and urban neighborhoods; in 1914, its main thoroughfare, the Grand Concourse, was completed and, by the 1920s, the Fordham Road-Grand Concourse intersection was a great commercial nexus and a center of tree-lined avenues, with luxurious homes and apartment buildings designed in the latest Art Deco and modernist styles; and WHEREAS, Over the last decade of the 19th Century and the first quarter of the 20th Century, many of the great landmarks which continue to draw hundreds of thousands of visitors to The Bronx every year were developed, including the Bronx Zoo, one of the largest zoos in the world; the beautiful park-like New York Botanical Garden; the Hall of Fame for Great Americans at Bronx Community College (the former campus of New York University); and Yankee Stadium; and WHEREAS, By the late 2000s, The Bronx's bridges, highways, and railroads were more heavily traveled than those of any other part of the United States, and it is the home of 12 colleges and universities, including Fordham University, the Maritime College of the State University of New York, and three branches of the City University of New York: Lehman College, Bronx Community College, and Hostos Community College; almost 24 percent of the land area is parkland, including Pelham Bay Park which, at 2,772 acres, is the largest park in the city; and WHEREAS, With a population of more than 1.4 million people, The Bronx is one of the most racially and ethnically diverse communities in the United States, and its vibrant neighborhoods, industrious civic groups and robust small business sector have long provided both a haven and a stepping stone for hard-working immigrants from all over the globe; and WHEREAS, Remaining fruitful over the ebb and flow of decades of growth and change, Bronx County continues its commitment to enhancing the quality of life of its residents, ensuring a progressive business, institutional and educational climate, providing essential services, and retaining the cultural vitality and environment that make it a positive place in which to live, work and visit; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to commemorate the Annual Bronx Day in Albany celebration on June 12, 2018, in proud recognition of the significance of its continuing role in the life of the community of the State of New York; and be it further RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to the Bronx Chamber of Commerce and the Bronx County Historical Society.