Kids Break Ground On Canarsie Playground They Designed

CANARSIE, BROOKLYN —Dozens of fourth-graders gathered Friday to break ground on a new Canarsie playground the kids designed themselves.

Students and local politicians celebrated the new playground coming P.S. 115 on East 92nd Street and Avenue, thanks to some state funding and lots of input from eager, if impatient, fourth graders.

“My experience designing the playground was awesome," said Grace Akinubi. "I’m looking forward to the playground, even though it may take a while to complete it."

The $1.48 million playground will have an artificial turf area, a running track, basketball hoops, art, a gazebo with a green roof as well as an outdoor classroom. The recreational space, now just asphalt, will be completed in June 2020, said Mary Alice Lee, playground program director at The Trust for Public Land.

The playground is part of the state's Vital Brooklyn initiative, a $1.4 billion state effort that includes turning seven other plain swaths of asphalt in Brooklyn into modern playgrounds. Five other playgrounds in the borough so far have opened since the initiative began in 2017.

“The governor has heard loud and clear that New York State needs to do more to create healthier neighborhoods in Brooklyn, said State Parks Department Commissioner Erik Kulleseid. "And that means giving kids like you here a better place to play.”

At Friday's ceremony, students who helped design the playground were jubilant about their efforts that will soon come to fruition.

"My class and I have taken part in the design of the playground. We were involved in the measuring and creating the plan for our new play space," explained Isis Pierre, a fourth-grader at the Canarsie public school.

"This new playground will let us have more space and better equipment for us," she added. "I look forward to building great memories in this new space."

Fellow fourth-grader Carlton Benoit, who was also involved in the design process, said his experience during the undertaking was "exciting."

“I’m looking forward to seeing every kid standing here enjoying the playground,” he said.

Local elected officials who were in attendance also extolled the virtues of what will soon be a new playground.

"We are excited to start the process on this fabulous playground that all of you will enjoy," said State Sen. Roxanne Persaud, who represents Canarsie. "We are all excited to see the outcome of this playgrounds and for you to play and have fun, because that’s what playgrounds are about.”

"This is definitely a monumental moment, because with your doing this designing, it’s not only for you to enjoy, but also for future children of our community to enjoy," said Assembly Member Jaime Williams, who also represents the neighborhood.

State Sen. Kevin Parker, who represents adjacent areas, praised Gov. Andrew Cuomo for putting state cash toward places for children to play.

“I’m glad to see that the governor understood the vision of the people of Brooklyn," he said,"and with his Vital Brooklyn program, he has put his money where his mouth is.”