2 East Harlem Parks To Get Massive Upgrades

EAST HARLEM, NY — Two parks in East Harlem are slated to get a major makeover in 2026 city officials announced.

The Harlem Art Park, located at East 120th Street and Sylvan Place, and the Dr. Ronald E. McNair Playground, located on Lexington Ave. between East 122 Street and 123 Street, will be part of a $50 million initiative to revitalize 10 public parks across the five boroughs.

The upcoming renovations are part of the New York City Parks Department's Community Parks Initiative, which will bring state-of-the-art amenities and landscaping to green spaces in underserved areas, parks officials said. This could include new trees and paths, playground equipment, seating areas, lighting, safety features and more.

"I have been advocating for improvements to both Harlem Art Park and Dr. Ronald E. McNair Playground for some time and am pleased that these parks now will be getting major upgrades," local Councilmember Diana Ayala said. "They are integral spaces for socialization, recreation and fresh air for many members of our community."

The Community Parks Initiative was launched in 2014 to make "equity-driven" investments in parks that have not seen renovations in more than 20 years, Parks officials said. Since 2014, more than 67 New York City parks have been renovated, officials said.

In addition to the two East Harlem parks, eight other parks in the Bronx Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island will also receive upgrades in 2026 as part of the $50 million project.

"All New Yorkers deserve access to clean, safe, and high-quality parks — no matter what zip code they live in," Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue said.

The initiative focuses specifically on areas with higher levels of poverty, density and population growth, the Parks Department said.

The Parks Department said that a study from CUNY found that New Yorkers living near a Community Parks Initiative-renovated park were 66 percent more likely to have visited their park than New Yorkers living near non-renovated parks.

"Harlem Art Park provides a creative space for artists and musicians to share their work, enhancing cultural awareness within the community," Ayala said. "At McNair Playground, countless children will benefit from dramatically improved play space, making this park a more enriching place for families."

The design process for the parks will include input from the surrounding community. Parks will host Community Input Meetings for these projects beginning in April.

Here's the full list of parks to receive upgrades in 2026.

Bronx

• Arcilla Playground
• Tiffany Playground

Brooklyn

• Breukelen Playground
• Harmony Park
• Willoughby Playground

Manhattan

• ABC Playground
• Harlem Art Park
• Dr. Ronald E. McNair Playground

Queens

• Arverne Playground

Staten Island

• Terrace Playground

New Yorkers can register for meetings on the Community Input Meeting webpage.

For questions and tips, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.