Playground Provides a New Way to Solve an Old Problem
Sometimes, the best solution to a problem already exists right under your nose. As part of tackling the ongoing work to reduce flooding in Southeast Queens, we did yet another playground transformation. No green playground happens without a capable partner, so, we teamed up with the School Construction Authority to transform P.S. 50 in Jamaica.
The re-vamped green playground will be able to catch more than 800,000 gallons of stormwater annually and improve the health of Jamaica Bay. This $1.6 million playground renovation, with its turf field, new running track, and benches, checks off a LOT of boxes when it comes to helping the community:
☑️green infrastructure upgrades, like the turf field with a specifically engineered drainage system down below
☑️ a safe and fun place to pay in the neighborhood
☑️a flood-free Southeast Queens
This playground transformation is not only part of Mayor de Blasio’s $1.9 billion commitment to address the flooding that has plagued this part of Queens; it is also part of the Schoolyards to Playgrounds initiative that opens playgrounds to the community after school ends.
“New York City schools make up the vast majority of the City’s real estate assets. We are pleased to open our schoolyards and support this important effort to lessen the flow of stormwater into our sewers, thereby reducing overflow into our rivers and bays,” said Lorraine Grillo, President and CEO of the NYC School Construction Authority.
“The new green infrastructure at this playground is not only absorbing stormwater and helping to improve the health of Jamaica Bay, it is also providing a fun, safe place to play,” said DEP Commissioner Vincent Sapienza. “We are proud to partner with the School Construction Authority to transform this asphalt playground into a beautiful new green space for the whole community.”
Don’t you love it when we all get together to get things done?
