Kaiser Park

Parks Cuts The Ribbon On Reconstructed Field House And Basketball Courts At Coney Island’s Kaiser Park

Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe today joined Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, City Council Member Domenic M. Recchia, Jr., State Senator Diane Savino, and Assembly Member Alec Brook-Krasny, to celebrate the renovation of the Kaiser Park basketball courts and field house. The field house was funded by generous allocations of $1.26 million from Council Member Recchia, $902,000 from Mayor Bloomberg, and $160,000 from Borough President Markowitz. In addition, the basketball court reconstruction was funded by $1.6 million from Council Member Recchia and $575,000 from the Mayor.

“Although famous for its beach and boardwalk, Coney Island is a destination for all seasons,” said Commissioner Benepe. “Thanks to generous allocations from Borough President Markowitz, Council Member Recchia and Mayor Bloomberg, Kaiser Park has new basketball and handball courts, fitted with recreational lighting to allow for more hours of play. The renovated field house includes park office and storage space as well as new restrooms and a community room for all to enjoy.”

The reconstructed basketball courts feature new backboards and rims, new asphalt pavement with color seal coat, recreational lighting for night play and new bleachers and benches. The renovation also included new handball courts, the upgrading of the fitness area, two drinking fountains and perimeter landscaping.

The field house project includes a new multipurpose community room and park office space as well as new restrooms and storage space accessible from the building’s exterior. The new interior finishes included flooring, walls and lighting. The building received a new roof and windows and the exterior brick was restored. The plumbing, electrical and HVAC systems were completely replaced.

These recent improvements to Kaiser Park follow the $3million conversion of the worn football field to state-of-the-art synthetic turf with brand new perimeter track, the reseeding of two ballfields with new bleachers, new paths and landscaping which was completed in 2006. In 2007, $200K in capital improvements to the playground were completed. The $1 million installation of recreation lights serving the synthetic turf field was completed in 2008.

This park is named for Dr. Leon S. Kaiser (1884-1951), a dedicated educator who served as a teacher and principal at several public schools in Manhattan and Brooklyn. A native of Manhattan, Kaiser moved to Coney Island, in 1924, taking a post as principal of PS 188. In 1937, Kaiser became the first principal of Mark Twain Junior High School (IS 239). Throughout his career, Kaiser held leadership positions in many educational and civic groups. The dedicated principal worked at Mark Twain Junior High School until his death on April 7, 1951. Later that year, a local law passed naming the park in Kaiser’s honor.

This property was acquired by Parks from the Sinking Fund in two parcels, the first assigned in 1934 and the second in 1937. Kaiser Park was formerly known as the Coney Island Lots and features a fishing pier that boasts a terrific view of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. The Gravesend Bay border of the park is also one of the best locations in Brooklyn to watch bird migrations.