Bronx River Gets Special Recognition

The US Department of the Interior will recognize the Bronx River this Saturday by designating it a National Water Trail.

This gives national promotion to boost tourism and access to federal funding for sustainability projects. Linda Cox is executive director of the Bronx River Alliance. She says this designation is a big deal.

"Fifteen years ago when people thought of the Bronx River, it was a place filled with dumped cars, a place you either didn't know it was there or you didn't think much of it. Now it's really saying hey, this is a water trail, you can really have a good time here," she said.

The announcement comes after two restoration projects were completed near the White Plains section of the river. David Hayes is the Deputy Secretary for the US Interior Department. He says bestowing this honor on the river was an easy decision.

"What we've [US Department of the Interior] been looking for are rivers where the community is actively engaged in an urban area, in restoring the area, and in providing access opportunities to the river," he said. "The Bronx River is one of the nation's best examples of that."

Federal officials named the Hudson River a National Water Trail last Sunday.