September 25, 2019

New Green Infrastructure Will Capture Nearly 900,000 Gallons of Stormwater Each Year

Photos Availalbe on DEP’s Flickr page. All photos should be credited to the Trust for Public Land.

New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Vincent Sapienza, The Trust for Public Land New York State Director Carter Strickland, New York State Parks and elected officials joined with students and faculty this month to open a new, student-designed “green” community playground at P.S. 145 in Brooklyn. The completed playground includes green infrastructure elements that will capture nearly 900,000 gallons of stormwater each year, which will help to improve the health of nearby Newtown Creek. DEP provided $395,000 towards the construction of the green infrastructure.

“Congratulations to Principal Malloy and the entire P.S. 145 community on the completion of their beautiful and environmentally-friendly school playground,” said DEP Commissioner Vincent Sapienza. “Thanks to the student designers and our partners at the Trust for Public Land for creating an amazing space that will absorb nearly 1 million gallons of stormwater annually and improve the health of Newtown Creek.”

New York State Director for The Trust for Public Land Carter Strickland said, “Quality playgrounds are an integral part of any neighborhood, and have a range of benefits for the local community from providing places for healthy exercise to absorbing stormwater. The Trust for Public Land is thrilled to be working with Governor Cuomo and the New York City Parks Department to bring playgrounds to New Yorkers. This park alone will be within a 10-minute walk of over 25,000 people.”

The new student-designed community playground includes green infrastructure design elements, made possible in part through a partnership with DEP, and which are a hallmark of The Trust for Public Land’s playground work. These features reduce stormwater runoff that can flood streets and overwhelm sewer systems, allowing untreated water to end up in rivers and bays. Green infrastructure elements include turf fields designed to absorb stormwater, trees, and pervious pavers, which can capture up to an inch of rainwater during storms.

Funding for the playground was also provided by Governor Cuomo’s Vital Brooklyn initiative that targets some of the most disadvantaged neighborhoods in New York State, including Bushwick, Bedford Stuyvesant, Brownsville, Canarsie, East New York, East Flatbush, Prospect Heights, Crown Heights, Cypress Hills/Ocean Hill, and Prospect Lefferts Gardens.

Focusing on these Central Brooklyn communities, the initiative addresses a critical need for green space in a city where 73 percent of low-income neighborhoods fail to meet the city's standard of 2.5 acres of parkland for every 1,000 residents.

“Every community deserves a safe place for children to play and more children of Brooklyn will no longer have to play on barren asphalt playgrounds with worn-out or broken equipment,” Governor Cuomo said. “Playgrounds draw young families to parks and inspire children to enjoy the outdoors throughout their lives—an important part of our mission to reverse chronic disparities in Central Brooklyn.”

“The Vital Brooklyn Initiative is focused on improving quality of life and transforming Brooklyn for the future,” said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul. “Children and families should be able to enjoy modern, safe, and accessible playgrounds, and that is why they are a central part of our efforts to improve neighborhoods in Brooklyn. This project continues our efforts to invest in projects that grow the economy and increase recreational opportunities for New Yorkers.”

Commissioner of the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Erik Kulleseid said, “Governor Cuomo knows that parks, playgrounds and green spaces improve the quality of life for everyone. New York State Parks wants to see to it that every Brooklyn resident has a great community playground close to where they live. As well as improving lives, some of these rebuilt playgrounds also protect water quality and help make the city more environmentally resilient.”

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams said, “Congratulation to PS 145 on their new, state-of-the-art playground! With these investments, we are creating more greenspace for Central Brooklyn, which is critical to closing health disparities and making communities more livable for all. In addition, by incorporating sustainable features such as pavers that divert storm-water runoff, we are bringing forward-thinking design to our playgrounds, teaching children about the importance of taking care of the environment. Thanks to Vital Brooklyn for delivering for Brooklyn families.”

“The Vital Brooklyn Initiative has played a significant role in expanding health and recreational services for North Brooklyn community members,” said Assembly Member Maritza Davila. “Students, teachers and parents are looking forward to P.S. 145 newly improved playground, which was funded through vital Brooklyn. Green spaces not only positively impact our well-being but it encourages physical activity and improves mental and physical health. Thank you to Governor Cuomo for bringing services such as Vital Brooklyn to our community of Bushwick.”

Senator Julia Salazar said, “The Vital Brooklyn initiative is affirming the importance of green space and public land for historically disenfranchised New Yorkers. Every family deserves the chance to experience parks and playgrounds in our neighborhoods. Community spaces like these improve public health and general well-being, and I hope to see more initiatives like this become a reality.”

City Council Member Antonio Reynoso said, “The newly opened playground at P.S. 145 is welcomed news for residents of Bushwick, where open space and areas of outdoor recreation are sorely needed. The creation of this playground in an area that was formerly an asphalt lot represents a reclaiming of urban space for the benefit of the public. Thanks to Governor Andrew Cuomo's Vital Brooklyn initiative, generations of Bushwick youth now have a space to play, and residents of all ages will benefit from the myriad health and wellness benefits that come along with increased greenery.”

Since 1996, working with the City, The Trust for Public Land’s NYC Playgrounds Program has designed and built more than 200 school and community playgrounds across the five boroughs. The Trust for Public Land involves students in playground design to teach valuable lessons and life skills such as budgeting, negotiation, and environmental science. In addition to serving students, all playgrounds in New York City are open to the public on weekends, after school, and during school breaks, providing opportunities for both children and adults to be physically active. The program has added more than 160 acres of additional playground space serving the nearly 4 million people who live within a 10-minute walk of one of the sites.

DEP manages New York City’s water supply, providing approximately 1 billion gallons of high-quality drinking water each day to more than 9.6 million residents, including 8.6 million in New York City. The water is delivered from a watershed that extends more than 125 miles from the city, comprising 19 reservoirs and three controlled lakes. Approximately 7,000 miles of water mains, tunnels and aqueducts bring water to homes and businesses throughout the five boroughs, and 7,500 miles of sewer lines and 96 pump stations take wastewater to 14 in-city treatment plants. DEP has nearly 6,000 employees, including almost 1,000 in the upstate watershed. In addition, DEP has a robust capital program, with a planned $20.1 billion in investments over the next 10 years that will create up to 3,000 construction-related jobs per year. For more information, visit nyc.gov/dep, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.

The Trust for Public Land creates parks and protects land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come. Nearly ten million people live within a ten-minute walk of a Trust for Public Land park, garden, or natural area, and millions more visit these sites every year. To support The Trust for Public Land and share why nature matters to you, visit www.tpl.org.