
Harding Park selected “Nicest Place
in America” by Reader’s Digest
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
A Bronx neighborhood
known for its simple acts of
kindness received recognition
as one of the ‘Nicest Places in
America’ by Reader’s Digest,
the fourth largest magazine in
the country.
Harding Park, a blue-collar
neighborhood of cottages
and bungalows located on the
East River in the Bronx, is no
longer a ‘best kept secret’ after
earning a spot on the coveted
2019 list, a national crowdsourced
effort to uncover communitiess
where people are
kind and treat each other with
respect.
After receiving more than
1,000 submissions of stories
from places across America,
Reader’s Digest selected one
place in each state—after conducting
fact-checks, making
phone calls and writing a narrative
explaining their selection—
that exemplifi es kindness
and civility in a time of
American divisiveness.
“Our goal is ultimately to
bring Americans together,”
said Jeremy Greenfi eld, se-
COMMUNITY
CHIROPRATIC
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, O 8 CTOBER 18-24, 2019 BTR
Rafting along the river in the quiet and peaceful oasis of Harding Park is
one of Lydia Clark-Sumpter’s favorite activities to do with her children.
Photo courtesy of Lydia Clark-Sumpter
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Kenneth P. Gonoud D.C.
nior editor of Reader’s Digest.
“Our goal is for more people to
look at their neighbors, family,
friends and strangers, and
say ‘I want you to be a part of
what we’re about, to be kind
and realize that we’re all on
the same boat.’”
Representing a melting
pot of nationalities, Harding
Park is one of those places,
where the neighbors take
care of each other, and are
sometimes secretive in their
acts of kindness, according to
Greenfi eld.
When Lydia Clark-Sumpter
moved from Manhattan to her
ranch-style home in Harding
Park on April 2016, a smiley
face balloon, tied to her front
gate, greeted her, she says.
“I still don’t know who left
it there,” said Clark-Sumpter,
who submitted her story about
Harding Park to Reader’s Digest.
“About 13 neighbors introduced
themselves to me
when I moved in. There are
neighbors who volunteer to
watch the house for you when
you’re away on vacation.”
Upon hearing the news
of the New York City Soundview
ferry service coming
to Clason Point Park, Clark-
Sumpter, who works as a pediatric
nurse practitioner and
oncology nurse at Mount Sinai
St. Luke’s in Manhattan,
said she started searching for
homes nearby and discovered
Harding Park.
“I may have read every single
internet article about it,”
Clark-Sumpter said. “It’s like
a hidden area—you can’t fi nd
it unless you’re lost, I say. It’s
really a neighborhood behind
a neighborhood...you can’t see
it from the main street unless
you walk further down (towards)
the water.”
Every Fourth of July,
Clark-Sumpter hosts a BBQ
party with neighborhood
friends and family.
Living a block away from
the river, Clark-Sumpter and
her two children also enjoy
fi shing and kayaking. They
even take along an empty
black garbage bag to clean up
the area sometimes, she said.
After learning Reader’s Digest
had selected the community
as one of the nicest places
in America, Clark-Sumpter
was ecstatic.
It was so amazing because
just think of every single
county, city within the state
of New York for them to pick
Harding Park. I felt it was
well deserved because the
neighbors are so awesome,”
Clark-Sumpter said. “The
whole neighborhood has a history
(that) other people in the
Bronx may not know about it.
“Reader’s Digest was very
great in keeping us up to date
about the process of the contest.”
Clark-Sumpter plans to celebrate
Harding Park’s 100th
birthday next year with a
summer BBQ and neighborhood
friends.
“I’m excited to celebrate
the birthday of my house that
was built in the 1920s,” Clark-
Sumpter said.