By DIANE S. WILLIAMS

The Parks Dept. honored 15 City Parks Workers and City Seasonal Aides in Local 1505 as employees of the month last August.

“These members took Crotona Park from trashy to classy as they implemented a six-month trash management pilot program that transformed the South Bronx park,” said President Dilcy Benn.

Crotona Park spans over 127 acres. Parks workers maintain its outdoor pool, tennis and basketball courts, grills, stone footbridges, baseball and soccer fields, expansive lake and ampitheater.

This year the Crotona Park crews set out to keep the grounds extra clean and engage the community through outreach and education.

The Local 1505 members  provide round-the-clock safety, cleanup and trash removal, and mow and maintain the verdant park that is a backyard for many Bronx residents. Crew chief Vincent Towles said, “We let the residents know we’re here, we’re public servants and we care about this park.”

Within two months the difference dedicated Parks workers make at Crotona was noticeable. The outstanding turnaround won praise from Bronx residents on social media, and attention from city Parks Committee Chair Levine, state Sen. Jesse Hamilton, and Parks management. Parks brass may expand the successful trash management initiative to other public parks in New York City.