To The Delight Of Carroll Gardens' Kids, St. Mary's Playground Under The Culver Viaduct Just Re-Opened

To the delight of Carroll Gardens children, the brand new St. Mary's Playground at Huntington and Smith Street officially re-opened. Yesterday, the place was filled with kids, taking full advantage of the new play equipment as well as the nice weather.
This new playground replaces one of two neglected, under-used parks underneath the Culver Viaduct. It was closed and dismantled a few years ago, while the Metropolitan Transit Authority worked on
the viaduct and the train tracks above.
The design includes two play areas, one for 2-5 year olds and another for 5-12 year olds. There is also a water feature, which will certainly come in handy in the summertime.

Originally, the reconstruction of this southern part of St. Mary's Playground was supposed to re-open in 2013, but as with everything in New York City, there were delays. Obviously, the wait was worth it as the kids looked as though they were having a blast yesterday, as we walked by.

The second part of the reconstruction includes the portion of the park between Nelson Street and Luquer Street. The design for Phase 2 has already been approved and construction has begun. It will include exercise equipment and basketball hoops. It is slated for completion by the end of this year.

Though the two sections of the park will be in shade most of the day and the train running overhead can be deafening, the Carroll Gardens neighborhood has been in sore need of more park space.
Let us hope that St. Mary's will ease some of the overcrowding in Carroll Park.

Have you stopped by St' Mary's Playground yet? How did you and your kids like it?

Previously:
Help Impact The Future Of St. Mary's Playground In Carroll Gardens By Completing Survey
Reconstruction Of St. Mary's Playground Under The Culver Viaduct Now In Progress

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Reconstruction Of St. Mary's Playground Under The Culver Viaduct Now In Progress

Phase One of the St. Mary;s Playground reconstruction

Once upon a time, there were two neglected, underutilized playgrounds underneath the Culver Viaduct at Smith Street between Huntington Street and Luquer Street. It was closed and dismantled a few years ago, while the Metropolitan Transit Authority worked on the viaduct and the train tracks above.
St. Mary's Playground was supposed to re-open in 2013, but as with everything in New York City, there were delays. The good news is that reconstruction of the southern part of the park between Huntington and Nelson Streets is now underway. It is slated to be completed by the spring of 2018. The design includes two play areas, one for 2-5 year olds and another for 5-12 year olds. A water feature will also be included, as are planting areas.
Phase 2 includes the portion between Nelson Street and Luquer Street. The design for that part of the park has already been approved and construction is slated to begin in 2018.

Though the playgrounds will be in shade most of the day and the train running overhead can be deafening, the Carroll Gardens neighborhood is in sore need of more park space.
Let us hope that St. Mary's will ease some of the overcrowding in Carroll Park.

Are you looking forward to this new park? Do you think you will use it?

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Help Impact The Future Of St. Mary's Playground In Carroll Gardens By Completing Survey

The underutilized St. Mary's Playground underneath the Culver Viaduct at Smith Street between Huntington Street and Luquer Street has been closed for a few years now. It was temporarily closed and dismantled while the Metropolitan Transit Authority worked on the viaduct and the train tracks above.

The MTA promised that the playground would be totally rebuilt by Winter 2013. Obviously, there have been some delays. However, planning for the new playground is now underway.

Paige Bellenbaum, our new Female District Leader in the 52nd Assembly District, just sent out the link to a survey on Survey Monkey, which will hopefully help the NYC Parks Department determine the wishes and needs of the community in regards to the park.

Here is the link to the Survey, which reads:

Dear Neighbor, Please take a few minutes to complete this survey and help  shape the future design of St. Mary's Playground!

St. Mary’s Playground is named after the nearby St. Mary’s Star of the Sea Roman Catholic Church on Court Street. The park is located at the intersection of Smith, Huntington, Nelson, and Luquer Streets, and it borders the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Red Hook, Gowanus, and Carroll Gardens. To learn more about the history of the park visit: http://www.nycgovparks.org/ parks/st-marys-park-b118b/ history
For those of us who have lived in the community long enough to remember the park before it was demolished - and for the benefit of those who recently moved into the neighborhood - the park in its former state was neglected and underutilized. The play structures were in grave need of repair, the ground was uneven and buckling, and the entire park was covered in pigeon droppings and heavy dust.

If you have passed the park recently, you may have noticed that the park is awaiting reconstruction. Thanks to a generous allocation from Councilman Lander in the amount of $500,000 on top of the $850,000 the Parks Department received from the MTA when they vacated the space, there is a sizeable pot of funding dedicated to creating a park that speaks to the needs of families and children in our neighborhood.

I encourage you to take a few minutes to complete this survey in an attempt to impact the future design of St. Mary’s Playground. Now is the time for our community to join forces with the Parks Department and create a space that will appeal to all generations of the Carroll Gardens neighborhood and beyond.

Sincerely,
Paige Bellenbaum
Female District Leader, 52nd Assembly District

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