Plans for J.J. Byrne Park in the Slope Unveiled
The schematic plan above details the next round of renovations the city is planning for J.J. Byrne Park in the Slope. (Click on the image to enlarge it.) The revamps are the result of a couple years’ worth of community listening sessions on how to improve the park, and they will result in more distinct…
The schematic plan above details the next round of renovations the city is planning for J.J. Byrne Park in the Slope. (Click on the image to enlarge it.) The revamps are the result of a couple years’ worth of community listening sessions on how to improve the park, and they will result in more distinct play areas for kids of different ages and new, adult-themed spaces like a seating area with cafe tables. Funding is in place for the overhaul, and the Parks Dept. is aiming to break ground next fall and finish the work in about a year. Meanwhile, you can check out the plans in the flesh in the gallery of the Old Stone House on weekends.
City Planning Facelift for Slope’s J.J. Byrne Park [Brownstoner] GMAP
Extreme Makeover Planned for J.J. Byrne Park [Brownstoner]
rukiddingme: I think the confusion is that the playground was renamed JJ Byrne Playground, so that part of the park is still technically JJ Byrne.
Greta – I don’t know about the area behind the school but the park formerly known as JJ Byrne is now known as Washington Park – for almost a year.
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/03/no-offense-intended-j-j-byrne/
rukiddingme: my understanding is that the area behind the school, with the dog park, basketball courts and skate park is considered Washington Park, but the playground and area in front of the Old Stone House is still JJ Byrne.
jimdisc: you’re right that the grass square used to turn into a dirt patch every year – that is, until this year. The turf behind the house has been great for many reasons, and that is one of them – this has been the first year in all of our 6 years living a block away that the grass has lasted all summer/fall, because most people go to the turf for their sports activities.
My personal opinion, as someone who has been to this playground almost every day with my daughter for the past 6 years, is that the “flooring” (the black cushy stuff on the ground) desperately needs to be replaced, but the equipment is adequate as long as they maintain it. It’s not the newest and flashiest, but kids have a ton of fun there. The biggest problem this park has is the school kids and residents who don’t respect the park, leaving garbage, graffiti, and breaking the rules.
You jokers should have seen that park in the 70’s, run down? More like run in, cop, run out. I had family that lived on 5th Ave and 4th St. We weren’t allowed to go into the park. There was a 10 foot concrete wall on the 5th Ave. side. No Gate, no Stone Park Cafe,just bodegas and unlicensed pharmacists. Yes the city has come far but something was lost and some of the things that were lost were not bad.
jimdisc – come on!, your getting the upgrades so you dont need to spin. No one is saying the park is “perfect” but to call the park in “bad shape” is ridiculous (have you seen the parks in Gowanus – like the one on Douglass and 3rd?? – and every park in NYC was like those a couple of decades ago).
Washington Park has relatively new equipment,including a section for toddlers, it is well landscaped and has a HUGE turf field, handball, basketball, skateboarding and dog run….this is a NYC Park not an Equinox Gym, the fact that Grass doesnt grow in the front of the Old Stone House, hardly qualifies as “bad shape”…that being said, I think it is great how far the Park has come and will certainly enjoy the improvements – but the fact that you think the park is run down only illustrates my point about how great the city is doing.
It took 2 years to renovate the playground behind the Band-shell on 9th St. The condo across the street was built and occupied before the playground was completed.
“are they planning to close the park during this renovation? Because that would be a real bummer.”
Agreed. I imagine they will close off the sections that are being worked on and leave the others open. The park is big enough to allow that and used heavily enough to justify the effort.
Sure the park could get by with some temporary fixes but in general it’s in pretty bad shape. The “lawn” turns into a dirt patch every year by mid summer, there is standing water and mud all over the place and the wood play structures and benches are splinter factories. The new design is also meant to showcase the old stone house which is an important historic marker and has developed into a fantastic community resource. This area is dense with kids and they deserve a well designed and better maintained space.
“adult themed spaces’ LOL you mean like where men can get it on in the bushes?
*rob*