Bensonhurst Park to receive $6.5 million for beginning phases of renovations

A park in the heart of South Bensonhurst will receive some much-needed renovations thanks to the allocation of over $6.5 million by Councilmember Vincent Gentile, Councilmember Mark Treyger, City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Bensonhurst Park (located on Cropsey Avenue between 21st Avenue and Bay Parkway) will receive a complete redesign and reconstruction of its playground and spray fountain, as well as the repaving of the park’s walkways. The installation of new benches, game tables, drainage, water and lighting systems is also in the works.

“There have been no major capital improvements at the park in a quarter century, and it has led the park to become an eyesore rather than an attraction for people in the neighborhood,” said Gentile. “It is a premier spot but it has been neglected and the structure has deteriorated. Someone had to step up and advocate for the park.”

Among some of the most obvious issues in the park are a lack of benches, a multitude of tree stumps and a barely-working sprinkler system, among other things.

“Given the fact that that in Bensonhurst we do not have as much green space as we would like to, renovating any of our parks is welcome,” said Chairperson of Community Board 11 Bill Guarinello. “It is a very high-use park and a lot of families use it, so any upgrades to the park are certainly welcome. Parks allocations are usually the bottom of the totem pole so we are happy to see they found some money to keep the infrastructure up.”

“For them to allocate that much money to that park is a big achievement for Bensonhurst,” he added.

Gentile allocated over $2.9 million for the beginning stages of the renovation, which will most likely begin after this fall’s scoping and community input meeting. Mark-Viverito allocated $2.3 million, Treyger allocated $300,000 and de Blasio allocated $1 million.

Suggestions for improvements to the park can be emailed to Gentile at vgentile@council.nyc.gov.

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