Parks Department Reveals Plans For Bloomingdale Playground Overhaul

New York City's Department of Parks and Recreation unveiled potential new designs for Bloomingdale Playground on Monday.

The preliminary designs for the playground, which straddles the corner of 104th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, were displayed at a Community Board 7 meeting in conjunction with the Parks Department in order to have input from local residents on the park's re-design.

Bloomingdale Playground sits next to P.S. 145 and is part of Mayor DeBlasio's Community Parks Initiative (CPI), a citywide program to improve historically underfunded parks in densely populated and growing neighborhoods with higher-than-average concentrations of poverty. DeBlasio committed an extra $150 million to the CPI for the 2016 fiscal year, bringing the program's total budget to $285 million.

The park's redevelopment has allocated $5.9 million with additional funding provided by Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, former Borough President Scott Stringer, and City Council member Mark Levine. After holding scope meetings in April to probe for community interest and comments, the Parks Department developed a formal Concept Plan for viewing at a Community Board 7 meeting in May.

The focus points of the park's proposed redesign are the elevated ramp structures allowing those in wheelchairs, walkers, or crutches easier access to play areas, along with handicapped swings known as JennSwings. The re-imagined park would also include a new fitness center for adults, space for a community garden, and a refurbished comfort station.

The Parks Department is expected to present a formalized budget for the project to Community Board 7 in a meeting at a later date.