NYC Parks Breaks Ground on $2.6 Million Renovation at Grand Playground

NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP, today joined Council Member Fernando Cabrera, Assembly Member Victor M. Pichardo, Community Board 5 Parks Chair Kavan Brandon, and children from the West Bronx Recreation Center to break ground on a $2.6 million reconstruction of Grand Playground.

Funding for the project was allocated by Council Member Cabrera and will allow a complete redesign of the existing site. The new playground will feature a basketball court at the lower level near the busy street corner, a play area designated for children of different ages, and two new entrances providing access to the basketball court and to the playground. A senior seating area and spray shower is also included in the renovation.

"The transformation of Grand Playground will provide a safer, more modern recreational space for the children in this community and surrounding neighborhood," said Commissioner Silver. "And for making this happen I'd like to thank Council Member Cabrera who contributed the funding for this project."

"I am extremely pleased to provide $2,690,000 in funding for the renovation of Grand Playground," said Council Member Cabrera. "This was one of the first parks I was directed to for upgrades by community residents because of the dire need for repairs. Grand Playground had not been maintained for many years and its structural issues were affecting other properties nearby. We have reached a great milestone with this groundbreaking. Grand Playground will now include a seating component for seniors, a new basketball court, a spray shower, a special play area for children of different ages and new entrances. Our parks and recreation spaces are essential to the health and well-being of our community and the Grand Avenue Playground project is part of my commitment to make our parks and recreation facilities the best."

This playground takes its name from the adjacent Grand Avenue, which runs parallel to the Grand Concourse. Grand Avenue Playground is part of a long tradition of recreational parks in New York City. Parks acquired the original .26-acre plot on July 17, 1979 and on June 18, 1987 it was named Grand Avenue Playground. An adjacent .11-acre piece of land along West 181st Street was assigned to Parks on September 14, 1995.