A tiny park in Long Island City will get a $1.3 million makeover, City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer announced Monday.
Sixteen Oaks Grove Park, a triangular space dominated by 16 oak trees between 21st Street and 14th Street, will undergo numerous renovations.
“This is a beautiful space that is essentially empty,” Van Bramer said. “We can add appropriate benches and greenery to beautify this space for those who live around this park. Since the approval of the budget in June, we have made a devoted effort in improving our public spaces throughout Queens. The renovations provides our residents with a place they can be proud to visit and enjoy with families and friends alike.”
Sixteen Oaks Grove Park is popular with residents of the Ravenswood Houses just a block away.
“I’m so glad to hear that Sixteen Oaks Park will get the funding to fix up this little park in the middle of our community,” Ravenswood Residents Association President Carol Wlkins said. “The sixteen oak trees create such a lovely shade in the summertime and a place for parents waiting for their children to return home from school, the community to rest when coming home from shopping or waiting for the bus or even coming from the library to sit and read a book.”
Wilkins added that she is “looking forward to the surrounding neighborhood’s help in creating a welcoming space for us all.”
The park is directly across from Community School 111Q.
“The groundbreaking overall of the piece of land into a playground speaks volumes of the continued and extraordinary efforts by Jimmy Van Bramer and his team to ensure that the children in our community have a safe and beautiful place to play and pass the time,” Community School 111Q Principal Dionne Jaggon said. “It is particularly special for me because the scholars closest to my heart will see the transformation daily as they come to school. Now the scholars have a renovated area to laugh and dream, build lasting friendships and the adults will continue to applaud the power of positive play and building lasting friendships. The sky is only the direction!”
