Pulaski Playground

Located within Pulaski Playground in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn is Heritage Row Playground, named in honor of the stately Heritage Row Houses along Hart Street.

Built in 2000 directly across the street from the playground, these twelve houses were the work of Habitat for Humanity, a not-for-profit organization seeking to create decent and affordable housing for families in need. The project was spearheaded by former President Jimmy Carter as part of his annual Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project. Prospective homeowners and volunteers worked together in the construction of these homes. Now, some ten years after the first new residents moved into Heritage Row, and with the organized help of current homeowners and other community members, this neighborhood park is experiencing a renewal as well.

In 2011, Heritage Row Playground was refurbished with new play equipment, spray showers, picnic tables, 1939 World’s Fair Benches, drinking fountain, bike racks and new landscaping, due to the generous allocation of funds by Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Council Member Al Vann. Further plans to reconstruct the multi-purpose play area adjacent to the playground with a two-lane perimeter track and two full sized basketball courts are slated for the park in 2012, once again due to the continuing support of Council Member Vann.

As parks and surrounding neighborhoods assist each other in community improvement, Heritage Row Playground shows how a collective effort amongst individuals can bring new life to the urban landscape, both in the building of homes and in the rejuvenation of our public parks.