Forest Park

NYC Parks Breaks Ground On Renovations To Forest Park’s Mary Whalen Playground

Queens Parks Commissioner Dorothy Lewandowski today joined Council Member Elizabeth Crowley, Assembly Member Michael Miller, and District Manager of Community Board 9 Lisa Gomes for a ceremonial ground breaking on nearly $1.5 million in renovations to Forest Park’s Mary Whalen Playground.

“Reconstruction is in full swing at Mary Whalen Playground,” said Commissioner Lewandowski. “By next summer, neighborhood kids will be able to enjoy a brand new spray shower, upgraded and challenging play equipment, and a more inviting play space.”

“Forest Park truly is one of Queens' greatest parks,” said Council Member Elizabeth Crowley. “That is why I am so pleased to have allocated funding for the renovation of Mary Whalen Playground. For the first time in over 20 years, these much needed upgrades will breathe new life into this section of the park to be enjoyed for generations to come."

The goal of this project is to upgrade the playground with engaging and contemporary play equipment for kids of all ages. The spray shower will be relocated and designed to evoke the glacial history and landscape of Forest Park.

An additional accessible entrance to the playground will be constructed, and an eight-foot chain link fence will be replaced with an ornamental, four-foot steel panel fence to open up sight lines and beautify the park. Additional trees will also be planted to provide shade and contrast to the paved areas of the site.

Renovations to the playground were made possible by the generous funding of $1.1 million dollars from the City Council and $339,000 thousand dollars from the Mayor’s Office. The playground project is expected to be complete in Summer 2016.

Mary Whalen Playground was named in 1988 to honor a local resident who was a dedicated member of her community and served, among many other titles, as the Vice President of Community Board 9. The playground was formally dedicated on September 26, 1990.

Forest Park is one of the natural treasures of New York City. The Wisconsin glacier molded the land 20,000 years ago, creating a series of small hills, known as “knob and kettle terrain,” within Forest Park.

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