Prospect Playground

What was here before?

Tremont was formerly known as Upper Morrisania for the Morris family who owned the land. The neighborhood’s first postmaster, Hiram Tarbox (1817-1904), suggested a change in name to avoid having mail confused between Upper Morrisania and Morrisania. He thought of the replacement name Tremont, which comes from the three peaks located in the area: Fairmount, Mount Hope and Mount Eden.

How did this site become a playground?

NYC Parks acquired Prospect Playground in conjunction with the construction of the seven-mile Cross-Bronx Expressway, which started in 1948 and was completed in 1963. Despite the residents of East Tremont’s protests, construction went ahead, resulting in the razing of 54 apartments and 5,000 evictions to make way for the one mile of the expressway that cut through the neighborhood.

This site is part of Parks' Community Parks Initiative, a multi-faceted program to invest in under-resourced public parks and increase the accessibility and quality of parks throughout the five boroughs. In 2021, this project constructed new play equipment, including a spray shower, a volleyball court, a painted track, and a basketball court.

What is this playground named for?

The playground gets its name for the extensive views of the East River that can be seen from the southern part of Prospect Avenue.