Hart Playground at 69th Street and Broadway (Google)
Feb. 17, 2020 By Michael Dorgan
Construction has begun on a $3.2 million revamp to a Woodside park that will feature a new basketball court, children’s play areas and other amenities.
Hart Playground (Google)
Renovations on Hart Playground, located at 65th and 37th Ave., got underway last month and are slated to be done by January 2021.
The playground is being completely overhauled and the park divided into two main sections.
There will be a recreation area for adults on the eastern portion of the park, while a children’s play area on the western side.
The two areas will be divided by an asphalt block pavement and two plant areas running north south.
The clear division between the children’s area from the rest of the park comes after parents have complained about adults– particularly the homeless and day laborers–wandering through the playground.
The children’s area will be on the western side of the park. In the north west section, there will be a spray shower and play area with new equipment for 5-12 year olds. On the south west portion there will be eight-foot high swings and a play area for 2-5 year olds.
On the eastern side of the park, the existing basketball court at the south-east corner will be reconstructed. There will be an additional half basketball court running alongside the court.
On the north east corner there will be a new volleyball/badminton court.
Surrounding sidewalks will also be reconstructed and a new entrance on 65th Street will feature stairs and an American Disability Act (ADA) accessible ramp to improve site access and circulation.
Rendering NYC Parks Dept.
Construction has been delayed, with work originally expected to begin about 18 months ago. However, the Parks Dept. has had problems finding a contractor.
Funding for the renovation came from a collaboration between Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer, whose office allocated $1.8 million of city tax funds, and former Queens Borough President Melinda Katz, with $1.38 million.
The park is named after Brigadier General Joseph T. Hart, who served in World War II and also worked at the Queens Borough President’s office.
Hart Playground (Photo: QueensPost Nov. 2017)
Featured Events
6 Comments
Community resident here. I live a few blocks away and often see day laborers on the streets. It is pretty bad but not sure what to do.
Should children be sharing a bathroom with male adults. Whose brilliant idea was it to have children share a park?Why does
the food truck deliver food when there is no bathroom facility. The food containers are often discarded in the street and that’s where the recipients are defecating as
well. UNACCEPTABLE
Will there be a separate bathroom for the homeless and day laborers? What a terrible mix children with the majority of
adult men loitering around. Why do food trucks still pull up and distribute food to these adult men? There is no
bathroom. The trays of food can be found dumped on the street. Many defecate in the street and in driveways.
This is unacceptable.
Mixing adult men with children is also outrageous and unacceptable.
Shame on all of you who have promoted this and have allowed it to continue.
It’s a shame and a travesty that for 20 years the local politicans and police have not done anything to rid this area of these vagrants. The community’s voice has been ignored. It doesn’t matter if they make this park into Disneyland… the drunks and day laborers will continue to make this place a cesspool.
it is a dump over there – junkies and drunks all over a disgrace –
I drove past there all the time. It’s a dump. Doesn’t look like a playground in the United States should. A disgrace.