Queensbridge Park

Queensbridge Park Is Feelin’ Even More Groovy

Wednesday, October 18, 2006
No. 96
http://www.nyc.gov/parks

Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe today joined Queens Borough President

Helen Marshall, City Council Member Eric Gioia, Congress Member Carolyn Maloney, District Manager of Community Board 1 George Delis and Queens Borough Commissioner Dorothy Lewandowski to cut the ribbon on $1.45 million in improvements to Queensbridge Park. Borough President Helen Marshall and City Council Member Eric Gioia each allocated $700,000 and Assembly Member Cathy Nolan allocated $50,000 for the renovations to this waterfront park.

"In recent years, Queensbridge Park has been transformed into a park characterized by a variety of recreational facilities," said Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe. "Named for the nearby Queensboro Bridge, which was made famous by Simon and Garfunkel’s "Feelin’ Groovy," the park now offers its frequenters even more groovy facilities with its new synthetic field and volleyball courts."

"When I became Borough President, I began a $60 million investment program to improve local parks across the Borough. Located along the spectacular Queens waterfront, Queensbridge Park serves one of the largest public housing developments in the City and hosts a number of sports leagues and community events," said Queens Borough President Helen Marshall. "I am pleased that I was able to allocate $700,000 to provide a new synthetic field, volleyball courts, and a picnic area with new lawns, landscaping and pathways."

"This is a great day for our park, our neighborhood, and kids across our entire City," said City Council Member Eric Gioia who represents Long Island City, Sunnyside, Woodside, Maspeth, and Astoria in the City Council. "Along with our youth baseball and basketball leagues, this new field will provide our City's children with positive, extracurricular activities for the entire year. I'm thrilled to join our Borough President and Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe to make this project a reality."

In addition to a new synthetic turf multi-purpose field and two synthetic turf volleyball courts, the park has been further enhanced by increased greenery, picnic benches, grills, an irrigation system and pathways. These new facilities add to the existing list of baseball fields, a wading pool, a playground, a comfort station and handball courts.

This past summer, City Parks Foundation, the only independent, nonprofit organization to offer programming in parks throughout the five boroughs of New York City, kept park-goers busy with free performance series’ and educational opportunities. Partnerships for Parks, a conglomerate of City Parks Foundation, has also been consistently involved in park improvements at Queensbridge Park. Throughout the year, they work with Friends of Queensbridge Park and other organizations to support volunteer and community interests in the park, not only for It’s My Park! Day on October 21, but also yearlong as part of the Astoria/Long Island City Catalyst Project. Such facilities, programming and dedication to Queensbridge Park make it a neighborhood haven where residents can enjoy the waterfront and spectacular views of Manhattan’s skyline.

Queensbridge Park is named for the nearby Queensboro Bridge, which is also known as the Queensbridge or 59^th Street Bridge. The 1960s band Simon and Garfunkel made the bridge famous in their song "Feelin’ Groovy," also called "The 59^th Street Bridge Song." The City of New York acquired the land that is now Queensbridge Park in 1939.

The upgrades to Queensbridge Park do not stand alone in the borough of Queens. Since 2002, Parks & Recreation has invested $155 million in Queens parks. There is also currently an additional $75 million in design or planning as well as $66 million in active construction to be completed over the next two years.