Brookville Park

NYC PARKS BREAKS GROUND ON OVER $2 MILLION IN IMPROVEMENTS TO BROOKVILLE PARK IN ROSEDALE

NYC Parks Queens Borough Commissioner Dorothy Lewandowski today joined State Senator Leroy Comrie, City Council Member Donovan Richards, Jr., Community Board 13 District Manager Mark McMillian, representatives from State Senator James Sanders office, and local community members to break ground on Brookville Park in the Rosedale section of Queens. The project was funded for $2.2 million by Council Member Richards and Mayor Bill de Blasio, and is expected to re-open in a year.

“Brookville Park is truly the heart of Rosedale and serves so many in the neighborhood, which is why we’re excited to see such a large investment in its future,” said Commissioner Lewandowski. “Next year, Brookville Park will reopen with more space for seating, better lighting, and refreshed tennis courts for the community to enjoy. This is a significant project, and we are appreciative of the support from the Senator and the Council Member to make it happen.”

"Today we usher in a new era at Brookville Park," said Council Member Richards. "This groundbreaking symbolizes the beginning of ensuring that Brookville Park becomes Southeast Queens’ premiere park, and with the more than $4 million in investments our office secured this year, we are excited about the future of this oasis. We would like to thank our partners in government and all of the community stakeholders of Rosedale for their commitment to ensuring we preserve and enhance green space in our communities."

“Brookville Park is the jewel of Rosedale, and Rosedale is the treasure of New York City. We have made a heavy investment in this park and there is a reason why - when you have neighbors who have strongly supported this park, you have to stand by their actions, whether it be our tennis league taking our young people and shaping them into the next Arthur Ashe or Serena Williams or the Friends of Brookville Park shaping the entirety of this area,” said Senator Sanders. “This is where we get a chance to support the community, and every chance we get, we are going to take.”

When completed, the new and improved Brookville Park will include an expanded picnic area with additional picnic tables, an accessible path with ADA picnic tables attached, new grills, coal bin trash receptacle stations, new sports lighting and surface at the tennis courts, and bleacher seating at the sports field.

The tennis courts were last resurfaced in 2001, the same year they were named in honor of Rosedale resident Derek Dilworth (1955-1999). An avid tennis player and park volunteer, he lobbied for the maintenance of Brookville Courts, repainted fences, purchased storage equipment, and obtained fish for the park’s pond. The first African-American air traffic controller at John F. Kennedy International Airport, he often invited local children into his workplace on tours.