Crown Heights Blocks To Become 'Play Street' For Children

CROWN HEIGHTS, BROOKLYN — Two blocks near Brower Park will close to cars next week as part of a new program to give kids more room to play outside, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced.

Park Place between New York and Kingston avenues, which are already part of the mayor's Open Streets program, will become one of several across the five boroughs to transform into a "Play Street" starting next week, according to the mayor.

The new "Play Street" program will extend the times the street is open to pedestrians and cyclists and bring in crafts and activities for kids.

On Park Place, the "Play Street" will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays until Sept. 4.

It is one of 12 Open Streets that will be set up for children and family activities in the new program.

“Young people deserve the chance to play freely in their neighborhoods while staying safe from COVID-19, and Play Streets will go a long way toward easing the burden of a summer unlike any other,” de Blasio said last week.

Activities at the Play Streets will include crafting and art projects — such as making kaleidoscopes, birdhouses, rhythm drums, and cloud climbers — giant board games, sports drills, reading corners, dance classes, cardio and yoga exercises.

The streets will be set up with benches and no-touch obstacle courses from the nonprofit Street Lab, de Blasio said.

The Play Streets announcement also came with the news that a few more Open Streets will be coming to the five boroughs and several current Open Streets will open back up to cars.

The city so far has about 70 miles of Open Streets, though the program has been criticized for falling short of its potential.

A study by Transportation Alternatives found about half of New York City's "Open Streets" are roughly the length of a city block and most stretches dot the city in an unconnected patchwork that stifles their full potential.

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the Open Streets program in April amid rising coronavirus numbers and calls to give cooped up New Yorkers safe, socially-distance spaces to go outside. He initially resisted giving over streets to pedestrians and bicyclists, but committed to setting up 100 miles across the city.