Bath Beach Park to get $5.6 million facelift

BATH BEACH — A popular local park is about to undergo a major renovation to the tune of $5.6 million.

Bath Beach Park, a 2.96-acre recreation area nestled between Bay 14th and Bay 16th streets on Shore Parkway, will be getting a new entrance ramp, a new comfort station, an expanded children’s play area with new sprinklers, adult fitness equipment and new fencing, according to officials at Community Board 11.

No date has been announced for the start of construction. The project’s design is still being finalized, officials said.

Board 11 members, who discussed the renovation plans at their Oct. 10 meeting, were generally pleased with the design, with one caveat.

“The only issue we have is that there are no bike racks,” District Manager Marnee Elias-Pavia said. She planned to reach out to the city’s Parks Department about it. “We’re going to ask that they include in the design bike racks,” she said.

Councilmember Justin Brannan, a Democrat whose district includes parts of Bath Beach, secured the funding for the renovation project in the city budget.

“Bath Beach residents should have a park they are proud of. That’s why I allocated $5.6 million to give Bath Beach Park its first real renovation in more than a generation,” Brannan told the Home Reporter in an email.

The upcoming renovation will give the park a whole new look, Brannan said.

“Soon, there will be a new comfort station, outdoor work out area for adults and, of course, a multitude of playground options for kids. I look forward to monitoring the progress so that we can have this park open as soon as possible,” he said.

Bath Beach Park has two entrances, one on Shore Parkway and one on 17th Court, where a ramp leads visitors from the street down into the park. There are community gardens on either side of the 17th Court entrance.

The centerpiece of the park is the Joseph Pezzuto Walkway, a wide pedestrian path that separates the softball field, basketball and handball courts from the children’s playground. The walkway, lined with trees and benches, is named in memory of Joseph Pezzuto (1937-1999), the founder of the Bath Beach Community Improvement Association.

The ball field is named in honor of Victor Allegretti (1931-2003), the late president of Bayside Fuel Corporation and a member of the American Legion, the Kiwanis Club, and Community Board 11.

“We are excited that the capital process has begun for the reconstruction of Bath Beach Park. We are confident that the upgrades will benefit this community for generations to come. From an adult fitness area to new plantings, expanded play areas, swings, and a spray shower; there’s something for everyone,” said NYC Parks Brooklyn Borough Commissioner Martin Maher. 

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