HAMILTON HEIGHTS — The Battlegrounds are ready for war.
The city restored the historical basketball court — officially known as Carmansville Playground — at West 151st Street and Amsterdam Avenue, where legends like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar learned to play the game.
The work is part of the Community Parks Initiative, a $280 million project to restore parks and playgrounds in low-income neighborhoods, said City Councilman Mark Levine.
“Healthy communities need healthy parks,” he said. “That’s why it’s so important that CPI is improving green spaces in parts of the city that too often have been neglected.”
More than 60 parks around the city will be restored under this program, he added.
The Battlegrounds became popular in the 60’s and 70’s. Professional basketball players like Nathaniel “Sweetwater" Clifton, Ray Felix and Freddie Crawford showed up to play.
Before the restoration, the court was filled with cracks, which would make playing dangerous for children. A new paint job also makes the court regulation-size for high school basketball games.
“Every parent knows the value of having a local park where their children can safely play when school is out," Mayor Bill de Blasio said. "With these targeted parks improvements, we’re improving the quality of life for New Yorkers throughout the city.”
