Councilwoman Julie Won and Speaker Adrienne Adams presented a check to announce the new funding for Queensbridge Park on Saturday. Photo by Gerardo Romo
August 28, 2024 By Iryna Shkurhan
During Queensbridge Family Day on Saturday, August 24, elected officials announced they had allocated $12 million in funding for major improvements to waterfront Queensbridge Park.
The project, led by NYC Parks, will include a new walking path and upgrades to the natural grass ball fields and sports lighting. To prevent flooding at the waterfront park, the path near the field will also be redesigned with climate resilience in mind.
“As climate disasters become more frequent, it is critical that we build protections and climate-resilient infrastructure,” said City Council spokeswoman Adrienne Adams, who contributed most of the funds.
The initiative was launched by Council Member Julie Won, who met with NYC Queens Parks District Commissioner Jackie Langsam and Queensbridge Houses Residents Association President Corrine Haynes-Wood began discussing possible renovations last September.
Council member Won and her team also distributed 200 backpacks full of school supplies to local children before the first day of school. Photo by Gerardo Romo
Won, who has represented Western Queens since 2022, has allocated $1 million from her own capital budget for the project. She says she has urged Speaker Adams, who has allocated $11 million, to invest in the park, which is across the street from the Queensbridge Houses.
“I will continue to advocate for major investments in the infrastructure and programming of the Queensbridge Houses and other public housing in my district to correct the pattern of disinvestment that NYCHA residents have experienced for far too long,” Won said in a statement. “Thank you to Speaker Adrienne Adams and our neighbors at the Queensbridge Houses for working with us to prioritize the long-term needs of NYCHA residents.”
Speaker Adams presented the $12 million check alongside neighborhood representatives on stage in the “beloved” park. State Senator Kristen Gonzalez, Assemblywoman Zohran Mamdani and New York City Treasurer Brad Lander were also in attendance.
“Parks are sacred to New Yorkers and vital to our health and well-being,” said Speaker Adrienne Adams. “I thank Council Member Won for her partnership in securing funding for Queensbridge Park and look forward to working with stakeholders across our city to ensure we can enjoy our parks today and for years to come.”
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