By Shira Frager
A jungle fit for Tarzan and his animal companions brought children, parents and community and City Council members together last Thursday for Travers Park’s ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate recent renovations to the Jackson Heights park.
A $1.5 million contribution made for a dream come true in the redesigning of the playground, as children made their way up a fake-tree-bark climber, hopped up lily pad steps and climbed a rope leading to a tree house. Also featured at the new facility is a leaf-and-vine spray shower where the young parkgoers can play.
The recreation of the park facilities was celebrated by Council and community members, including city Parks Department Commissioner Adrian Benepe, Councilman Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights), former Councilwoman Helen Sears, U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-Jackson Heights) and guests. Children in the neighborhood were particularly excited about the recently created tree-house-themed play equipment.
Jackson Heights ranks 50th out of 51 Council districts in the city in its amount of park space, according to Dromm, who said the park, at 78th Street between 24th Avenue and Northern Boulevard, is important to the neighborhood. He intends to talk to Queens Parks Commissioner Dorothy Lewandowski about ways to expand.
“I think we both thought, myself and Council members here, that this has actually become another hub of community life,” said Dromm, who is also a member of the Council Parks Committee. “It’s really something to experience.”
Money for funding of the new park, designed for children aged 5 to 10 and fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, was allocated from the capital budget by Sears when she was in office. Mayor Michael Bloomberg and other Council members also contributed to its fruition.
“When you’re an elected official … there are a lot of different kinds of things you can put your money into,” Dromm said. “When you allocate the parks, it’s a very big deal for us.”
Although the park had playground equipment for children before being redone, Sears said the park needs to be continuously maintained in order to ensure its upkeep.
“The key of this park design [is to figure out] how can you make it usable all year long,” said Sears. The park, according to Sears, has been around for many years, needing constant attention in order to keep it functional.
“We don’t have parks. We have playgrounds,” Sears said about the status of green space in the neighborhood.
Giovanna Reid, district manager of Community Board 3, explained that park space is a priority for the community board and district and that the board will continue to improve these facilities.
“Our work is not done,” she said. “We are committed to looking towards expanding recreation space for the board.”
Sears, along with other Council members, was proud of the successful completion of the park.
“It’s one thing to really be able to get funding to make something happen,” said Sears. “But then when you see it come to fruition, it’s a very good thing.”
