Betsy Head Park

NYC PARKS BREAKS GROUND ON $23 MILLION PHASE II OF EQUITY INITIATIVE AT BETSY HEAD PARK IN BROWNSVILLE

Mayor’s Anchor Park Initiative has invested $30 million into revamping beloved neighborhood park

NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP, today joined New York City Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development Vicki Been, City Council Member Alicka Ampry-Samuel, New York State Assembly Member Latrice Walker and community members to break ground on phase two of the $30 million reconstruction of Betsy Head Park in Brooklyn – one of five projects funded through the Anchor Parks initiative. This second phase of the project at Betsy Head Park totals $23 million.

Launched by Mayor Bill de Blasio in August 2016, the Anchor Parks initiative committed a total of $150 million in City funding for major improvements at five large parks: Astoria Park in Queens, Highbridge Park in Manhattan, Betsy Head Park in Brooklyn, St. Mary’s Park in the Bronx, and Freshkills Park on Staten Island. More than 750,000 New Yorkers live within walking distance of the five Anchor Parks. Each park was selected based on historical underinvestment, high surrounding population and potential for park development.

“We are focused on advancing equity in our public spaces by making comprehensive renovations to parks that need it most,” said Deputy Mayor Vicki Been. “I’m thrilled to see the progress made as we enter the second phase of construction at Betsy Head Park that will bring sport courts, a fitness area, and a running track to the Brownsville neighborhood.”

“As we work to bring world-class parks and amenities to all New Yorkers, it’s important that we continue to revitalize and improve our existing community hubs. It is the very essence of the Mayor’s Anchor Park initiative and the Brownsville community will soon be the beneficiaries of a $30 million investment that will make their old park new and vibrant,” said Commissioner Silver. A park that will bring solace, recreation, and fun to a neighborhood deserving of that and so much more.”

“I am ecstatic for what the future of Betsy Head Park holds. For too long our community has had to play, exercise, and commune on eroding turf and worn down equipment. Today we commemorated the groundbreaking of Phase II in a long overdue community investment. I am proud to join my colleague Councilwoman Alicka Ampry-Samuel, New York City Parks Department, Community Board 16, Friends of Betsy Head and all the nearby homeowners and residents that contributed to the design charrette in this groundbreaking. We are eager that this park will be able to once again serve the community for baseball, football, soccer, and track and field tournaments.” said Assembly Member Walker.

The Betsy Head Park project has been executed in two phases totaling $30 million in funding from Mayor Bill de Blasio. Phases are outlined below:

Phase I: This project will completely re-envision and reconstruct the multi-purpose play area, basketball courts, active fitness area, and new skate park. This $7 million project is anticipated to be completed this winter.

Phase II: This project will reconstruct the southern portion of the park, including a large field, sports courts, seating areas, and reconstruction of the comfort station. This phase totals $23 million in upgrades.

Details for the other four Anchor Parks projects are as follows:

Astoria Park, Queens
Phase I: This project includes a synthetic turf soccer field and track, site amenities, and much needed erosion control.

Phase II: This project includes the reconstruction of Charybdis Playground, spray shower, and comfort station.

Highbridge Park, Manhattan
Phase I: This project will reinstate access to a 10-block stretch of the park, improve connectivity and pathways, restore the historic Grand Staircase and construct an ADA-compliant plaza at W. 184th Street and Laurel Hill Terrace. The project will also improve safety and security with new park lighting, and construct a welcome garden at the Dyckman Street and Harlem River Drive entrance to the park.

Phase II: This project will reconstruct Adventure Playground, creating a play-based active recreation playground featuring a spray shower, game tables, garden area and new comfort station. The project will also include adult fitness equipment at Sunken Playground.

St. Mary’s Park, Bronx
Phase I: The first phase of construction will boast more than $10 million in improvements including: two reconstructed ballfields; sports event seating; an expanded dog run with a water fountain; sports lighting; an ADA accessible seating area; new fencing; and landscape upgrades with new planting beds.

Phase II: Currently in procurement, this project will reconstruct the amphitheater plaza, pathways, passive central area, and the west comfort station.

Freshkills Park, Staten Island
This project will create multiple athletic fields, paths and trails, parking and a comfort station that will continue the development of South Park and the greater Freshkills parkland.

600+ COMPLETED CAPITAL PROJECTS
Parks announced recently the agency completed 648 capital projects since Commissioner Silver joined the agency in 2014: the administration has taken on more projects and has completed them faster—nearly 90% completed on budget and 85% on time. Through this, the agency has provided everyday New Yorkers access to 205 improved playgrounds and sports courts; 102 reconstructed paths & plazas; 39 new comfort stations; 36 athletic fields; and the agency has addressed infrastructure at 24 of its piers, waterfronts and retaining walls (and much more). Parks’ 10-year capital budget is $5.2 billion—the completed projects over the past five years represents a $1.3 billion investment.

NYC Parks’ capital division of nearly 500 staff, including more than 100 landscape architects, manages its capital projects from start to finish; designing approximately 70% of its landscape architecture projects in-house—of the 648 projects completed, 410 were landscape projects. Currently, the agency is managing 618 active capital projects: 149 are in construction; 246 are in procurement and 178 are in design.