Montbellier Park

Albert Montbellier Park To ‘Sport’ Three Synthetic Playing Fields

Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe dug in today on $2.6 million in renovations to Albert Montbellier Park with Council Member James Sanders Jr., Community Board 12 District Manager Yvonne Reddick and members from local teams that use the fields including Kicker Juniors Soccer Club, the Haitian American Football Club and the New York West Indies United. The 4.4-acre park will be home to three synthetic turf playing grounds, including two baseball diamonds and one soccer field. Queens will now be home to 21 synthetic turf fields.

“The new sports fields mean more playing time to get kids outside, become active and fit and helps the City meet the growing demands for recreation fields,” Commissioner Benepe said. “Montbellier Park has seen a lot of change in the past decade and the improvement of parks to address community needs is among Parks & Recreation’s top priorities.”

Since 1994, Albert Montbellier Park has seen $1 million in renovations with its newest planned addition of synthetic turf. This year’s facelift includes concrete pavement, two drinking fountains, new chain link fencing, additional trees and a fresh coat of paint on the baseball backstop frameworks. The project was generously funded by Mayor Bloomberg and Council Member James Sanders Jr. and will be completed by next fall.

Montbellier Park honors Manhattan-born Albert Montbellier, a dedicated civic worker who devoted 35 years to Queens. Montbellier worked to acquire and develop this land into what is now known as Montbellier Park. The park was named after Montbellier after his death in 1964.

Parks & Recreation has installed 63 synthetic turf fields since 2002 and 16 synthetic turf fields are currently in design or construction. This figure is driven by a major initiative to convert previously underused asphalt sites into active recreation space, while upgrading out-of-date properties into community assets. Synthetic fields, which are made of recycled rubber, may be more environmentally friendly than "natural" grass fields, which require the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides and greenhouse gas-producing machines for maintenance.

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Contact: Warner Johnston /Trish Bertuccio (212) 360-1311