Ennis Playground

NYC PARKS BREAKS GROUND ON ENNIS PLAYGROUND IN GOWANUS

NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP, yesterday joined Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, City Council Member Brad Lander and community members to break ground on Ennis Playground in the Gowanus neighborhood of Brooklyn. The playground will undergo a complete reconstruction funded for more than $3 million by Mayor de Blasio, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, and Council Member Lander. A community input meeting was held in January 2016 to kick off the design process. Construction is expected to be completed by next summer.

“The design for the new and improved Ennis Playground was a collaboration with the community members who use it every single day, and we are looking forward to handing it back over to them transformed,” said Commissioner Silver. “Thanks to funding from our local elected officials, Ennis Playground will have features for park-goers of all ages, including swings, a multipurpose synthetic turf, and so much more.”

“Parks and open spaces are the great equalizers, welcoming residents from all backgrounds to enjoy the great outdoors,” said Borough President Adams. “I thank NYC Parks and Council Member Lander for their partnership on revitalizing Ennis Playground in Gowanus, an area of the borough that is in dire need of more green and recreational space. I’m proud that my administration could support this local priority by allocating $650,000 in capital funding to this much-needed project, which will undoubtedly improve our neighborhood’s quality of life.”

“Ennis Playground is a well-loved neighborhood park in the heart of Gowanus, and I’m thrilled that it is finally receiving the public investment it deserves,” said Council Member Lander. “I was proud to allocate $1.85 million in funding together with Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams for renovations. Upgrades including new play units, sidewalk repairs, benches, picnic tables, water fountains, are an important part of the Gowanus greenscape plan in the Gowanus framework to improve green spaces for current neighbors and provide a solid foundation for future growth. I thank the Parks Department and Borough President Adams for their work and assistance in this project.”

The new Ennis Playground will activate previously unused areas of the space with a multipurpose synthetic turf field which will be able to accommodate free play, toss sports, picnics, and other neighborhood gatherings – all specifically requested by members of the community. The field will also serve as a storm water retention system for onsite capture that will reduce the load on the combined city sewer system.

Additionally, there will be play equipment and swings for tots and children, a dynamic spray shower, reconstructed sports courts, improved entrances and lighting. A small shaded seating area will separate the play area from the turf field. The new field will be surrounded by a paved path that can double as a walking path for exercise and a passive viewing area with the addition of benches. The adjacent properties will be screened by trees and plantings that will soften and beautify the park’s edges.

The Department of City Planning in June released a framework for rezoning Gowanus, Gowanus: A Framework for a Sustainable, Inclusive, Mixed-use Neighborhood. The framework aims to preserve the mixed-use, mixed-income Gowanus community, invest in a cleaner canal and more resilient landscape, and provide much-needed access to parks and open spaces. The investment in Ennis Playground, while not included in the framework, furthers its mission by enhancing an existing green space and better preparing for future growth in the neighborhood.