DiMattina Playground

Di Mattina Playground

This text is part of Parks’ Historical Signs Project and can be found posted within the park.

What was here before?
This was once part of the Luquer Family Farm. Jean (Jan) L'Escuyer (1635-1713) came over to New Netherland from France in 1658 and married Rachel Dircks, daughter of Dirck the Noorman, one of the earliest settlers of Brooklyn. The estate remained in the family until it was divided and sold as the population grew.

How did this site become a park?
The City acquired the two parcels of land that form DiMattina Park in three phases between 1941 and 1947. In 1967 local law named the larger section for Vincent J. DiMattina, leaving the smaller section nameless.

In 2001, NYC Parks installed a dog run in the larger section of the playground and improved the play facilities. In 2015 the DiMattina Dog Run was reconstructed and expanded to create separate spaces for large and small dogs.

What is this park named for?
Vincent J. DiMattina (1915-1966) was an attorney who was actively involved in civic and religious affairs within the Carroll Gardens community in Brooklyn.

DiMattina took his first job working on the Brooklyn waterfront when he was 16 years old, where he stayed until he enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1942. Trained as a deep-sea diver, DiMattina served with the 104th Naval Construction Battalion, better known as the Navy Seabees, in the South Pacific until December 1945. At the time of his discharge, DiMattina had earned the rank of Chief Boatswain’s Mate.

When he returned to Brooklyn, DiMattina completed his education, attended Brooklyn Law School, and was admitted to the bar in 1954. As Membership Chairman of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), he organized sixteen posts in Brooklyn and in 1951, was elected County Commander. His service to the New York State VFW Headquarters included Loyalty Day Chairman, Chairman of the Department Rehabilitation Committee, member of the Department Legislative Committee, Department Inspector, and Judge Advocate.

DiMattina held several important positions locally and nationally. During the 1960s he was New York State Commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. DiMattina was affiliated with the Local Draft Board, Our Lady of Loretto Council No. 585, and the New York State Assembly from 1963-1964. At the time of his death, DiMattina was the Counsel to the Speaker of the Assembly on Military and Patriotic Affairs.