116th Street Playground Opens!
Eager families flocked to the new playground at 116th Street within hours of the removal of the construction fence this afternoon. Kids frolicked in spray shower and waited patiently for its computerized cycle to reactivate the sprays every few minutes. Others raced around the circuits of the multi-level play decks.
This playground is the realization of a key part of the Friends of Morningside Park Master Plan for Morningside Park which came out of extensive user surveys dating back to 1999. It certainly was clear today that the playground serves a vital need in this community. The project has received support over the years from our local elected officials, notably from Bill Perkins now serving as our State Senator and more recently the majority of its funding has come through allocations by NYC Council Member Inez Dickens. We thank our electeds for recognizing and prioritizing the need for this community facility. We look forward to thanking them more fully at an official ribbon cutting ceremony that will be scheduled in the near future.
As an added bonus the playground replaces the southern end of the old concrete play structure in this area. As a result park users have not only gained a new playground but also a lush expanse of well shaded lawn where the structure once loomed.
Posted on July 30, 2008 by D. Bell