QUEENS — The Kew Gardens portion of Forest Park is undergoing major upgrades that will include fixing several deteriorating park pathways and reconstructing a t-ball field, the Parks Department said.
Construction has just started on the $1.9 million project, which will temporarily close several parts of the popular park near the Overlook, a Queens Parks Department administrative building, "named for its sweeping view of Forest Park," according to the agency's website.
The overhaul “will realign and reconstruct existing asphalt park paths, reconstruct a small t-ball field, and reduce the damaging effects of ongoing rainwater runoff erosion,” the agency said in a statement.
Bioswales, plant beds and permeable paving stones will be installed in the area to create better drainage and to help absorb rainfall, according to the department.
In total, approximately 2,200 linear feet of park path will be reconstructed as part of the project, including an 80-foot-long new pathway which will be created to make the t-ball field more accessible.
The project has been funded with $1.35 million from local Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz and an additional $550,000 from Borough President Melinda Katz, according to the Parks Department.
“Forest Park is one of New York’s recreational treasures,” said Koslowitz in a statement. “And, like all fine gems, it needs a bit of polishing from time to time.”
The overhaul of that portion of the park is expected to be completed in June 2016, according to the Parks Department.
The project is part of a nearly $7.7 million renovation scheduled for Forest Park.
Other improvements across the 500-acre green space, which is surrounded by Woodhaven, Richmond Hill, Forest Hills and Glendale, will include fixing several playgrounds, replacing the signs along the bikeway and renovating the park's greenhouses.
