Refurbishing Glenwood Playground

By JULIAN CANTRES

A groundbreaking ceremony was held Tuesday to mark the ongoing renovation of Glenwood Playground in Brooklyn.

Speaking to a small crowd in the park’s paved-over baseball field, Brooklyn Parks Commissioner Kevin Jeffrey detailed the plan, which is already underway.

The first part involves breaking the ground in the main area of the park, paving it over and adding more trees and new equipment. This would $838,000, being funded by the mayoral budget. It was expected to be completed by summer.

Brooklyn City Councilman Jumaane Williams commented on the efforts to turn the park into “a safe place to learn and grow.” According to a recent poll, he said, about three-quarters of people who do not regularly use city parks still see their benefits, such as volunteer opportunities and increased property values in the neighborhood.

Williams concluded that the main goal of the renovation was to turn Glenwood Playground into “one of the premier parks of not only the 45th district, but also the city of New York.” The district, which Williams represents, includes Flatlands, Flatbush, East Flatbush, and Canarsie.

In 2016, the asphalt-covered recreational area of the park was expected to begin improvements such as a turf-covered play area, several basketball courts, and fixes for the drainage and water supply. The cost of this second part of the renovation was forecast at about $2.5 million, with $2 million provided by the councilman’s office and the rest by the office of Borough President Eric Adams.