May 6, 2022

Green Infrastructure will capture approximately 430,000 gallons of stormwater annually, reducing neighborhood flooding and improving the health of New York Harbor;

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) joined today with The Trust for Public Land to open a newly renovated “Green” schoolyard at the P.S. 295K/New Voices School of Academic and Creative Arts schools in South Slope, Brooklyn. Green infrastructure elements incorporated in the playground’s construction will capture approximately 430,000 gallons of stormwater each year, helping to improve the health of New York Harbor and reduce the risk of flooding for residents and businesses in the area. The schoolyard was funded, in part, with $340,000 from DEP’s Green Infrastructure program.

Photos available on DEP’s Flickr Page.

“This gorgeous, environmentally-friendly, school playground is another shining example of what can be accomplished when DEP partners with The Trust for Public Land,” said DEP Commissioner Rohit T. Aggarwala. “The green infrastructure elements included in this new play space, which was designed with input from the students, will absorb more than 430,000 gallons of stormwater annually and improve the health of nearby New York Harbor.”

“During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, New Yorkers have recognized that parks and playgrounds are essential for mental and physical well-being,” said Mary Alice Lee, Director, New York City Playgrounds Program for The Trust for Public Land. “This schoolyard provides an opportunity for students to connect with classmates. After school hours, it will be a critical community hub. We are grateful to DEP and the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President for their partnership in making this schoolyard a reality.”

“I commend DEP and TPL for not only working together on this important project, but for engineering a way to accomplish many things with one comprehensive project—creating a state-of-the-art playground for students and giving that playground the ability to improve the health of New York Harbor and help reduce the risk of flooding in this community,” said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. “Other groups and city agencies should look at this project as a baseline for how we can be more efficiently tackle issues in our city comprehensively.”

“I congratulate the parents and families of PS 295K/New Voices on their beautiful new playground!” said Council Member Alexa Avilés. “We can create more equity in green space and parks for all when green up and open up schoolyards for the community.”

The playground was designed by students from each of the two schools housed in the building on 18th Street to reflect their neighborhood’s unique identity, culture, and character. The student-chosen playground features include net climbing play equipment, rock climbing play equipment, game tables, a green-roof gazebo, benches, a turf mound with a built-in stage and perimeter seating, as well as green infrastructure elements such as shade trees, permeable pavers, and synthetic turf areas.

The newly added green infrastructure elements will capture approximately 430,000 gallons of stormwater each year, helping to reduce neighborhood flooding and improve the health of nearby New York Harbor. The schoolyard will be open to the community during non-school hours and will serve more than 20,000 residents within a 10-minute walk of home.

Nationwide, the Trust for Public Land has transformed more than 300 underused schoolyards into nature-rich parks designed to address inequities in education, health, and climate impacts. Every one of our community schoolyard transformations includes agreements between a school district and other local agencies to allow the community to use the space when school is closed. According to new research from The Trust for Public Land, open access to all public schoolyards across the country during non-school hours would put a park within a 10-minute walk of more than 19.6 million people, including 5.2 million children, who currently lack access.

About the New York City Department of Environmental Protection

DEP manages New York City’s water supply, providing approximately 1 billion gallons of high-quality drinking water each day to nearly 10 million residents, including 8.8 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 also protects the health and safety of New Yorkers by enforcing the Air and Noise Codes and asbestos rules. For more information, visit nyc.gov/dep, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.

About The Trust for Public Land

Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national nonprofit that works to connect everyone to the benefits and joys of the outdoors. As a leader in equitable access to the outdoors, TPL works with communities to create parks and protect public land where they are needed most. Since 1972, TPL has protected more than 3 million acres of public land, created more than 5,000 parks, trails, schoolyards, and iconic outdoor places, raised $84 billion in public funding for parks and public lands, and connected more than 9 million people to the outdoors. To learn more, visit tpl.org.