Still Time To Weigh In On The Future Of This Upper East Side Park

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — Upper East Siders have just a few days left to weigh in on the future of one of the neighborhood's beloved green spaces: Ruppert Park.

The park on Second Avenue between East 90th and 91st streets is set to undergo a major renovation, coming at the urging of City Councilmember Ben Kallos.

But the details of that work are not yet settled, and the Parks Department is soliciting public comments on the future of Ruppert Park through Wednesday, June 30.

Constructed in 1979 by the city's Housing Preservation Department, the one-acre park has what Kallos called "a very '70s design," built in a four-leaf clover shape that divides it into four quadrants.

The park's shortcomings include a grassless stretch that has been repurposed as a dog run and overly dense trees, which create a lack of sunlight and excessive moisture in the summertime, attracting bugs.

In May, Kallos's office hosted a public scoping session over Zoom, inviting neighbors to share suggestions about Ruppert's future. Wednesday's deadline represents the last immediate chance to help shape the project.

Kallos's office has committed $2.4 million toward completing a first phase of renovations to Ruppert Park — a yearslong project that will cost at least $10 million if fully completed.

Work on the first phase could begin as soon as September 2022, Kallos said. It would likely include improvements to the children's area in the northern part of the park, as well as a new pathway that divides the park in two, separating different uses that are currently intermingled and making the park more approachable to the public.

Other improvements could include a new splash pad, play equipment and a swingset.

More funding for Phase 1 of renovations is still needed, but the Parks Department hopes to "obtain additional funding and begin design work later this year," spokesperson Megan Moriarty told Patch last month.

Community feedback will be incorporated into a master plan for the park, "to create quality outdoor space that better serves the Upper East Side."

Make a public comment on the Parks Department website here.

Previous coverage: Upper East Side's Ruppert Park To Get Major Renovation