Under Community Pressure, City Moves to Renovate Rivington Playground
As Sara D. Roosevelt Park continues its steady descent, area stakeholders are pushing to rehabilitate a key playground in the northern section of the park to stave off the danger element.
The Rivington Street Playground, situated across from the M’finda Kalunga Garden, is next on the docket for a refresh, much in the same way as the Hester Playground over a decade ago.
Borough President Gale Brewer, who, along with outgoing Councilwoman Margaret Chin allocated funds for the project as part of the city’s fiscal 2022 capital budget, now urges the city to get on with it.
In a scathing letter to Parks Commissioner Gabrielle Fialkoff last month about the current state of the park – violent crime and drugs – she mentioned how the rehab is already funded, and shouldn’t be delayed any longer. Brewer believes that fast-tracking this project will improve overall safety in the vicinity, which is currently exposed to construction of an updated subway ventilation plant, Con Edison upgrades, and work on the new Mount Sinai Behavioral Health facility.
“Completing these projects would result in a tangible, positive impact on the Park’s quality of life [and] they should be priorities for City action,” the letter states.
In response, the Parks Department coordinated with Community Board 3 to host an online session to discuss plans for the playground. The renovation is happening. The meeting is scheduled for December 13 at 6:30pm.
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