A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Tuesday to welcome a brand-new amphitheater to St. Mary's Park in Mott Haven.

Officials say the more than $19 million project is a great addition to the community and will make the neighborhood livelier.

"We are actually opening up, having an opening ceremony for the amphitheater. We're naming the amphitheater after Gil Scott Heron, who actually was a musician, a poet, who actually gave the spoken word when it wasn't popular to be able to do so," says Iris Rodriguez-Rosa, the Bronx parks commissioner. "It's important for us to be able to name this theater after him so that people know that it is the opportunity to be able to perform here. It's a wonderful opportunity that we have to do that here at St Mary's Park."

The amphitheater is part of the city's $150 million plan to fund major improvements at parks across the five boroughs.