East Harlem Playground Reopens After $6.5M Renovation

EAST HARLEM, NY — An East Harlem playground that received one of the first investments from the mayor's Community Parks Initiative reopened Thursday following a $6.5 million renovation.

City officials, community members and local kids were on hand to break in the new Playground 103, which sits directly east of the East River Houses near East 102nd Street. The renovated playground features brand-new play structures and swing sets, fitness equipment, basketball courts, ADA-accessible play and relaxation areas and green infrastructure that will prevent the area from flooding, parks officials said.

Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver said Thursday that the new playground is a big improvement over the facility that used to occupy the space, which had been without investment for more than 20 years.

"This playground fills a void in a dense, underserved neighborhood. With this reconstruction we're now providing high-quality, safe recreation space welcoming to users of all ages," Silver said.

Silver said that the Playground 103 renovation was on of the first projects to be funded by Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration following the 2014 launch of the Community Parks Initiative. The initiative has allocated $318 million to improving neglected parks and green spaces in communities that lacked investment from prior administrations.

Local City Council Member Diana Ayala said Thursday that the reconstruction of Playground 103 is indicative of an increased willingness of the city to invest in her district, which spans much of East Harlem and the South Bronx.

"When we invest public dollars into public spaces we're doing right by the community, but we're also investing in the future of our children who are out here using these spaces," Ayala said Thursday.

In addition to serving as a place where neighborhood kids can play and adults can exercise, the new Playground 103 is also good for the environment, Department of Environmental Protection officials said. Six rain gardens and an underground detention system will capture up to 1.7 million gallons of stormwater each year and prevent the nearby sewer systems to overflow. Nearby bodies of water such as the Harlem River and East River will benefit from the green infrastructure, DEP officials said.

Of the $6.5 million invested in the Playground 103 renovation, $5.3 million was allocated by the mayor's administration, $625,500 was allocated by FEMA and $695,000 was allocated by the Department of Environmental Protection.