Mosholu Parkway

NYC PARKS OFFICIALLY UNVEILS $3.8 MILLION UPGRADE OF KOSSUTH PLAYGROUND IN THE BRONX

NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP, yesterday joined Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., City Council Member Andrew Cohen, State Assembly Member Nathalia Fernandez, State Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz, Community Board 7 Parks Chair Barbara Stronczer, and representatives from the Friends of Mosholu Parkland to officially unveil the reconstructed Kossuth Playground to the community.

“Kossuth Playground has undergone a remarkable transformation, now offering brand new amenities every member of the Norwood community can enjoy,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP. “Thanks to tremendous support from our elected officials, and valuable input from the community, Kossuth Playground will continue to be a hub of recreation and relaxation in the neighborhood for years to come.”

“Throughout my tenure, I have always advocated for providing quality park spaces and facilities,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “What starts off as 'kids being kids;' running around and having fun in our park spaces rather than staying home and playing video games; becomes the building blocks to developing a healthier lifestyle as our kids become adults. As borough president, I have allocated $73,296,000 of funding towards 87 parks projects to improve and renovate our Bronx parks, including $2 million toward the renovation of Kossuth Playground. I want to thank City Council Member Andrew Cohen as well as the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation and the mayor’s office for all of their efforts in renovating Kossuth Playground.”

“I’m thrilled about this wonderful new community resource in the Northwest Bronx. Thanks to the vision and input of community members, families, and residents who saw the potential in this space as well as the tireless efforts of the Parks Department, we were able to bring their ideas to life and bring much-needed improvements to Kossuth playground. Thank you NYC Parks, Mayor de Blasio, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., and Friends of Mosholu Parkland for your partnership to get this project funded and completed. With this new resource, the children and families of Norwood will have a safe, inclusive, and accessible space they can enjoy for many years to come,” said Council Member Andrew Cohen.

The project has completely transformed Kossuth Playground for the enjoyment of the community. New play equipment for children ages 2-12 was added to the site, and the original heavily-shaded spray shower area was relocated to a sunnier section of the playground. The basketball courts were completely reconstructed, and a brand new adult fitness area has been added. For passive recreation, multiple new seating areas were incorporated into the site, along with ADA accessible ramps and game tables. Park security lighting was also introduced throughout the playground, and new fencing has been installed.

The $3.8 million Kossuth Playground Reconstruction project was funded with $378,000 from Mayor Bill de Blasio, $2 million from Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., and $1.5 million from City Council Member Andrew Cohen.