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Forest Park Getting Playground Upgrades and New Walkways In $7.7M Revamp

By Ewa Kern-Jedrychowska | April 10, 2015 4:23pm | Updated on April 13, 2015 7:21am
 Renovation will include sidewalk repairs, new asphalt paths and playground upgrades.
Forest Park to Undergo Nearly $8M Facelift
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QUEENS — The crumbling sidewalks and asphalt paths in Forest Park, which joggers and nature lovers have called a safety hazard, will soon be fixed as part of a nearly $7.7 million renovation scheduled for the park this year, the Parks Department said.

Several playgrounds will also be overhauled in the process as will the greenhouses.

Local residents and elected officials have long called for a major overhaul to the popular 500-acre park, where cracks and holes in the pavement were only occasionally patched, they said.

The facelift will fix sidewalks in frequently used areas, including along the Brooklyn-Queens Bikeway and Freedom Drive. A new asphalt path will also be constructed between the Forest Park Carousel and nearby playground.

Parts of the project are scheduled to begin this spring and portions of the park may be temporarily closed during construction, officials said. It was not immediately clear when the entire project would be completed.

Funds for the overhaul, as first reported by the Queens Chronicle, come from several elected officials, including City Councilwomen Elizabeth Crowley and Karen Koslowitz, Queens Borough President Melinda Katz and Mayor Bill de Blasio's office.

Several play areas for kids, including Mary Whalen, Giovanelli and Joe Devoy playgrounds, will also undergo a substantial makeover, the city agency said.

For example, Mary Whalen Playground will get new pre-school and pre-teen play sections as well as a sprinkler area, officials said.

Modern play equipment will also be installed throughout the playground and additional trees will be planted to provide more shade, according to the Parks Department.

"Forest Park truly is one of Queens' best attractions,” said Crowley, who has allocated $1 million for the renovation of Mary Whalen Playground.

“For the first time in over 20 years, these much needed upgrades will breathe new life into this section of Forest Park which will be enjoyed for generations to come," Crowley added via email.

Nearly $2 million has been allocated to renovate the Overlook area, which includes paths and a T-ball field. Bioswales and plant beds will also be installed there to address drainage and help absorb rainfall.

Another $1.7 million will pay for renovating the park's greenhouses, including the Palm House, which contains tropical plants.

The signs along the bikeway will also be replaced.

Katz, who called Forest Park "one of the jewels of our city’s parks system," said that the green space "should have high quality facilities because it serves so many people from all over the Borough of Queens."