Closing a Bronx street so kids in the city's free summer program have somewhere to run is exactly the kind of small, sensible use of public space that never makes the news. East 179th near Mapes turns into a recess yard for the afternoon, minutes from Arthur Avenue's markets and bakeries. If you want to see what open streets do when they're used as infrastructure rather than as an event, this is the version worth watching.
What to expect
A block barricaded at both ends with school groups using the roadbed for games, jump rope, chalk and running around, supervised by program staff. Residents and passers-by move through as usual. The nearby Belmont blocks — Arthur Avenue's market, bakeries and cheese shops — are a short walk away.
Good to know
- The B, D or 4 to Fordham Road and a walk east, or the Bx12 across Fordham, gets you into the neighborhood
- Free; Summer Rising is the city's no-cost summer program for public school students
- Flat asphalt with barricades at each end — fully step-free while the closure is in effect
- The recess block is for enrolled Summer Rising students, not a public play session
- Arthur Avenue and the Bronx's Little Italy are ten minutes away on foot if you're in the area
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Common questions
What is Summer Rising?
New York City's free summer program for public school students, combining academic instruction with enrichment and recreation through the summer weeks.
Can neighborhood kids join the recess?
The closure is programmed for enrolled Summer Rising students. The street reopens to normal use once the permitted window ends.
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