October 31, 2019

Green Infrastructure Will Capture 1.6 Million Gallons of Stormwater Each Year; $1.5 Million Green Playground Will Bring 27,000 Residents Within a 10-Minute Walk of a Park

Photos are available on DEP’s Flickr Page

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) on Tuesday joined City Council Member Vanessa Gibson, the Trust for Public Land, New York Road Runners and student and teachers to break ground on a new, student-designed green playground at I.S. 339/313 in the Claremont neighborhood. The project will transform the current asphalt lot into a new community green space with trees, a turf field, running track, play equipment, and game tables. Green infrastructure elements will capture 1.6 million gallons of stormwater each year, helping to improve the health of the nearby Harlem River and East River. Once completed in 2020, the $1.5 million playground will bring 27,000 Claremont residents within a 10-minute walk of a park.

“DEP is proud to partner with The Trust for Public Land and the entire I.S. 339X/313 community as they design their new, environmentally-friendly school playground,” said DEP Commissioner Vincent Sapienza. “The green infrastructure elements to be built in the new play space will absorb more than 1.6 million gallons of stormwater annually and improve the health of the Harlem River.”

Green infrastructure design elements, made possible in part through DEP’s contribution of $775,000, 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. Each playground absorbs hundreds of thousands of gallons of water annually and includes new trees that bring shade and better air quality to their neighborhoods. Similar playgrounds are also being designed in the Bronx River, Newtown Creek and Flushing Bay watersheds.

“It is important that our children have access to quality recreation spaces, and that is why I provided $950,000 of my own capital budget towards this new playground at I.S. 339X/313,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “This project will provide our children with a safe new space to play games, enjoy the outdoors and make new friends. I want to thank The Trust for Public Land, New York Road Runners, DOE, SCA and DEP for their partnership on this wonderful new amenity for the children of The Bronx.”

“Partnering with the New York Road Runners in the lead up to the New York City Marathon, we were pleased to activate local runners from the community and young students to show the power of parks in providing access for everyone—regardless of age, gender, location, or economics—to engage in healthy exercise,” said Mary Alice Lee, Director of the New York City Playground Program for The Trust for Public Land. “Parks are vital to the health of our communities across all five boroughs, whether it be to improve physical well-being, resilience to climate change, or access to space to meet and build connections with neighbors.”

“At New York Road Runners, the TCS New York City Marathon sets the tone for all that we do across New York City, year-round. Our goal is to improve communities in every corner of the five boroughs, and that is why we work with partners like the Trust for Public Land to kick-off race week and celebrate this playground in the Bronx,” said Michael Capiraso, President and CEO of the New York Road Runners. “This week, and all year, we continue to enhance and expand our presence throughout the city with our races, community initiatives, and our free youth program, Rising New York Road Runners, which we have been providing for 20 years to students like those who joined us today at I.S. 339X/313.”

The playground will also function as an outdoor classroom for students to explore nature, learn about environmental science, and take part in physical education and after school activities. The design process provided an important learning opportunity for the student designers, allowing them to gain valuable life skills such as budgeting, negotiation, and planning.

Since 1996, working with the City, The Trust for Public Land’s NYC Playgrounds Program has designed and/or built more than 200 school and community playgrounds across the five boroughs. 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.

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About New York City DEP

DEP manages New York City’s water supply, providing approximately 1 billion gallons of high quality drinking water each day to more than 9 million residents, including 8.5 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 $19.7 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.

About The Trust for Public Land

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 tpl.org.