The Harlem River Working Group (HRWG) is a
project that grew out of small planning meetings between park advocates,
environmental organizations, community organizations, and the Bronx Borough
President’s Office in late 2008. HRWG
secured funding through NOAA to hire a temporary coordinator, and through a
technical assistance grant, has had the support of the National Park Service-
Rivers, Trails & Conservation Assistance Program since 2009. Its main focus is to reclaim the abused,
neglected, and underutilized Harlem River waterfront as a cultural,
educational, recreational, and economic resource for the community. The Harlem
River Working Group is focused on improving access to and along the Harlem
River-- an area stretching 9.3 miles from the Randall’s Island to the Hudson
River in Bronx County, New York City.
The group’s goals are reclaiming the Harlem River; re-connecting the
waterfront with the people; recreating the water’s edge; and reinvigorating
on-water recreational and commercial activities.