Asphalt Green

The Daily Plant : Monday, November 2, 2009

Parks Cuts Ribbon on Improvements to Dekovats Playground

Photo by Daniel Avila

On October 29, Commissioner Adrian Benepe joined City Council Member Jessica Lappin, Assembly Member Micah Kellner, Community Boar 8 Chair Jacqueline Ludorf, Asphalt Green Executive Director Carol Tweedy and 75 kindergarteners from P.S. 151 to cut the ribbon on $1.95 million in improvements to DeKovats Playground on the Upper East Side.

“Thanks to nearly $2 million in funds from Mayor Bloomberg, DeKovats Playground has been completed renovated,” said Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe. “Children of all ages on the Upper East Side will delight in the park’s new play equipment and water features. Perhaps most importantly, DeKovats Playground now features the latest in safety and accessible amenities.”

The playground is adjacent to the Asphalt Green recreation complex in a neighborhood with mainly high-rise residential apartment buildings. The much-needed playground has been reconstructed to comply with new safety and accessibility guidelines. It consists of new play equipment for pre-teens and tots, safety surface, a new spray shower area, steel fences, drinking fountains, drainage and water supply, new pavement, curbs and plantings. It was designed by Landscape Architects Claire Dudley and Laura Drawbaugh. The construction project manager was Rock Massillion.

Kovacs Mihaly (1724-1779), also known as Michael Fabrizy de Kovats, earned his place in U.S. history by commanding American cavalry forces in the Revolutionary War. After successfully leading troops in Hungary’s Pugachev revolution of 1772-1774, de Kovats went to France. He met with Benjamin Franklin, who was then stationed in Paris seeking aid for the American Revolutionary effort, and enlisted in the cause.

Born in Karcag, Hungary, the nobleman had years of commanding experience in the Royal Austro-Hungarian Cavalry, the Prussian Cavalry of Frederick the Great and in France. Upon his arrival in the U.S. in 1777, Congress awarded de Kovats American citizenship and appointed him Colonel-Commander of the Pulaski Legion, commissioning him to form the first U.S. light cavalry.

GO GREEN! ECO TIP OF THE DAY

Before doing house or office repairs check to see if you can receive a tax credit. It’s possible to receive tax credits for fixing windows, doors, roofs, water heaters, installing insulation, HVAC, or Biomass stoves.

To find out if you qualify go to: http://www.energystar.gov/taxcredits

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

“Sooner or later, those who win are those who think they can.”

Paul Tournier
(1898 – 1986)