Arrochar Playground

NYC PARKS COMPLETES $5.1 MILLION RENOVATION OF ARROCHAR PLAYGROUND

Arrochar Playground opened as part of Commissioner Silver’s Ribbon-Cutting Relay – five Community Parks Initiative sites opened in a single day

$24 million in total renovations opened across city

NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP, yesterday joined Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Vincent Sapienza, Staten Island Deputy Borough President Ed Burke, and Principal Tracey Wright of P.S. 39 to open Arrochar Playground. The park, part of NYC Park’s $318-million Community Parks Initiative, was opened as part of Commissioner Silver’s Ribbon-Cutting Relay, in which he opened five renovated CPI sites across the city in a single day.

“In 2014 we launched the Community Parks Initiative with a commitment to bring world-class neighborhood parks to all New Yorkers. Today, we’re seeing the results of that promise,” said Mayor de Blasio. “The five completely rebuilt parks we opened today illustrate the breadth and impact of CPI, which has already impacted more than one million children through physical park improvements, expanded programming, and enhanced community partnerships.”

“The Community Parks Initiative is about creating a fairer and more accessible park system for ALL New Yorkers – and there’s no better expression of that than opening fully renovated parks across the city in a single day,” said Commissioner Silver. “We’ve turned Arrochar Playground—which was little more than an asphalt plot—into a brand new park, designed in the vision of community members.”

“I’m pleased that the public will now be able to use this revitalized space,” said Staten Island Borough President James Oddo. “I was happy to allocate funding to this project, which provided much-needed upgrades to this park. With these renovations and new amenities, even more people can enjoy our outdoor spaces and get active. I am committed to our local parks and will continue to allocate funds for upgrades of parks throughout the Island.

"I strongly support creating more open green space for our community to enjoy. The Community Parks Initiative makes this park better and will provide for a more enjoyable experience for all those who visit,” said New York State Senator Andrew Lanza. “I wish Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver a spirited day as he sprints through all five boroughs to unveil newly designed parks throughout our City. Thank you to Mayor de Blasio, and the leadership of the Parks Department and Department of Environmental Protection for your efforts with this project."

"Our beautiful parks, open spaces and playgrounds are invaluable assets to Staten Island residents, but we must continue to invest in them to keep them that way. That is why I always prioritize parks projects in the budget and I am particularly happy to have helped steer funding toward renovating Arrochar Playground, said City Council Member Steven Matteo. “This park has always been an integral part of the community, but with these new, state-of-the-art multi-purpose courts, fitness equipment, seating areas and green infrastructure, it will continue to provide enjoyment for generations to come."

The project has transformed the previous large asphalt field into an expansive multi-purpose play area that provides color and variety, and will better serve both the adjacent school and the neighborhood’s active recreation needs. The play equipment has been updated and an elaborate new spray shower feature was added.

The reconstruction included $1.03 million of new Green Infrastructure elements that capture storm water, which were developed and funded through a partnership with DEP. The entrances and edges were also reconstructed through the Parks Without Borders program.

On Ribbon-Cutting Relay Day, NYC Parks cut the ribbon on a CPI park in every borough. Starting at Arrochar Playground in Staten Island, Commissioner Silver made his way to Grassmere Playground in Far Rockaway, Queens; then to Hilltop Playground (formerly Saratoga Ballfields) in Brooklyn; up to Lyons Square Playground in the South Bronx; and finally to Martin Luther King, Jr. Playground in Harlem.

CPI was initially launched in 2014, and is funded through 2019 with $318 million in capital dollars funding renovations of more than 60 community parks that have not undergone significant improvements in decades. All of the parks and playgrounds that will receive improvements are in dense, fast-growing neighborhoods with an above-average percentage of residents living below the poverty level.