City to Invest $130M in 35 Parks

The mayor is cracking down on cracked concrete playgrounds. The city has identified more than 200 parks that have received little care — and very little money — less than $250,000 in funding over the last 20 years. Thirty-five of those will receive a major upgrade, with 55 to also see improvements.

One of them is Luther Gulick Playground, which sits in the shadow of the Williamsburg Bridge. 

Frank Buitrago, 67, walks his pug, George on the uneven pavingstones every day. "This place needs a whole rebuild, everything has to be fixed," he said, pointing at a crooked tree. "Maybe plant a few trees, also it'd be nice idea to have a dogs run."

But at the Bowne Playground, where Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the new program, local resident Jason Benebe was more skeptical. His kids grew up playing on the vast expanse of concrete there and renovations have been mentioned to residents before.

"We've had two different organizations come and say the same thing," he said. "They've come and taken measurements and nothing's been done, so let's see if this follows through."

The mayor is hoping to eventually expand this program to more than 200 parks with help from private conservancies.

"It's very important that we put our money where our mouth is to show we're serious about this — then it becomes a lot more pertinent and a lot more fair to turn to others and say, we need you to be part of the solution," de Blasio said.

The Central Park Conservancy and Prospect Park Alliance have praised the mayor's plan.