Yonkers recognizes National Park and Recreation Month

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Several Yonkers' parks were packed on Saturday as the city recognized National Park and Recreation Month. July is designated as an opportunity to promote building strong, vibrant and resilient communities through the power of parks and recreation. The fun included live music, dance classes, free food and activities for the whole family. The day also served a deeper meaning too. On Monday, Yonkers will recognize the 100th anniversary of its parks. That's one of the oldest in the area. That means lots of room for upgrades which city officials say they're doing faster than ever. "We went from doing two parks a year to doing 15 this year, so we're trying to renovate all the parks and we're updating it better accessibility, rubber matting, we're starting to put splash pads in, stuff like that," said Yonkers Parks, Recreation & Conservation Commissioner Steve Sansone. Among the parks to get more recent upgrades is Unity Park in southwest Yonkers. It was fitted with new landscaping, surfacing and a playground. It's the city's most frequented neighborhood park and one of 84 totaling 417 acres of parkland. Last month, the Yonkers City Council and Mayor Mike Spano approved a budget that invested an additional $17 million in funds to the parks system. "