NYC Announces Construction of 104 Park Projects This Spring – NBC New York (47)

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and City Department of Parks and Recreation Commissioner Sue Donoghue announced Sunday that construction will break ground on 104 park projects this spring. Both officials made the announcement at Saratoga Playground in Brownsville, where the city began a full renovation of the playground at a cost of $2.2 million.

Saratoga Park is a prized community park on the border of Brownsville and Bedford Stuyvesant. It is the second largest park in the historic neighborhood. The playground is currently under construction and will soon feature new play equipment and is expected to be completed by spring 2023.

The more than 100 park improvement projects, which broke ground this spring and were previously on hold in procurement due to the COVID-19 pandemic-related pause in construction, represent more than $417 million in investments, making the city’s public green spaces more sustainable, accessible and vibrant.

More than 86 percent of these projects include sustainability features such as LED lighting, rain gardens, new tree planting, on-site stormwater capture, and use of recycled and resilient materials. Additionally, 62 percent of the projects are in underserved neighborhoods as identified by the Task Force on Racial Equity and Inclusion. These projects are expected to take 12-18 months to complete.

New Yorkers will be able to enjoy 100 newly renovated park projects in their neighborhoods by the summer of 2023.

“New York City parks are not luxuries, they are necessities: they play a critical role in building community and nurturing our physical, mental and emotional health,” said Mayor Adams. “Parks can be great equalizers, which is why all New Yorkers, regardless of zip code or color, deserve access to a park. This $417 million investment to revitalize more than 100 parks, playgrounds and green spaces is an important milestone in our recovery that will pay dividends for generations to come.”

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