Gorman Playground

NYC PARKS REVEALS DESIGN PLANS FOR $4.6 MILLION RENOVATION OF GORMAN PLAYGROUND

NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP today joined Borough President Donovan Richards, Council Member Costa Constantinides and Queens Community Board 3 District Manager Giovanna Reid to unveil the design for a $4.6 million renovation of Gorman Playground in East Elmhurst.

“Thanks to valuable public input, Gorman Playground will be completely transformed with new and improved amenities that reflect the surrounding community’s vision,” said Commissioner Silver. “We’re thrilled to present these designs to local residents and we are eager to restore this playground for the enjoyment of East Elmhurst’s children, families, and residents.”

“The creative design unveiled today for Gorman Playground could not have been developed without the extensive and valuable input of residents of the surrounding community,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, Jr. “Thanks to their valuable ideas and feedback, their kids will soon be able to enjoy a playground that has been transformed into a top-quality recreational space that will delight East Elmhurst’s children for decades to come. We look forward to seeing this exciting design become reality.”

“Poor planning in the past limited Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst park space, so caring for the parks and playgrounds we have there is critical,” said Council Member Costa Constantinides. “That’s why I’m so excited that we’ve been able to provide the community with this design for a beautiful new playground that was crafted in partnership with the neighborhood. I want to thank Commissioner Mitchell Silver for his support for all of our community parks.”

The goal of this project is to reconstruct the children’s play area to better accommodate both active play and passive recreation. Work will include the installation of new play equipment for children ages 5 - 12, swings, a spray shower, game tables, and benches. In addition, new asphalt pathways and plantings will be installed to enhance the playground’s landscape.

The project is funded with $4.6 million from Council Member Costa Constantinides. Construction is anticipated to begin in Fall 2021.

First named Jackson Heights Model Playground, a local law renamed this site to honor local civic leader Denis P. Gorman shortly after his death in 1963. Gorman was a well-loved and respected community advocate who devoted his time to providing recreational facilities for the youth of Queens. He was directly involved in the development of this playground, served as the Chairman of the Youth Activities Committee and built an impressive 20 Little League baseball fields in five months. Aside from his efforts to increase recreational opportunities for the neighborhood, Gorman also embarked on a political career when he served as the Democratic District Leader of Jackson Heights.