Prior to park revamp (Photo: QueensPost)
May 26, 2011 Staff Report
The grand plan for the $1.4 million redesign of Lou Lodati Park will be unveiled next Thursday, which will include a dog run, 2 volley ball courts, 2 half basketball courts and a softball field.
The rehabilitation of the park, particularly putting in a dog run, was a major campaign promise of Jimmy Van Bramer when he was seeking office. “To achieve this means a lot to me,” he said.
Van Bramer said that the dog run will include a separate space for large dogs and for small dogs—and that the dog run area will be cordoned off from the rest of the park by trees and shrubbery. The dog run will go where the half-basketball courts are today.
Van Bramer said the park will be resurfaced–since the concrete is currently uneven and could cause injuries. He said once the new surface is put down, lines will be painted to demarcate each of the sports fields. These include lines for the softball field, 2 volley ball courts and 2 half basketball courts. At this time, there are no lines planned for soccer.
He said the plan is almost ready to go out for bid. Once the bids are in, he said his office will be in a better position to gauge when it will be completed.
The Torsney Playground, which is adjacent to the Lou Lodati park, will remain unchanged, having been upgraded in recent years. The handball courts, too, will remain the same.
The unveiling of the redesign is likely to take place at Lou Lodati Park next Thursday at 1pm.
This video was produced before the redesign of the park was announced on June 30. It illustrates the desire of dog owners to have a dog run at Lou Lodati Park
