September 18, 2026

DEP Committed $1 Million to Playground Redesign That Helps Reduce Street Flooding While Safeguarding Local Waterways

Upgrades Include New Synthetic Turf Athletic Field Engineered to Capture up to 260,000 Gallons of Stormwater Each Year

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection in partnership with the Trust for Public Land (TPL), the School Construction Authority, Council Member Shekar Krishnan and community members celebrated the ribbon cutting of a new community schoolyard at P.S. 69 in Jackson Heights—transforming an underutilized schoolyard into a vibrant, green space designed for students and the surrounding community. DEP contributed $1 million to the project, which includes a synthetic turf athletic field designed specifically to capture up to 260,000 gallons of stormwater annually. By soaking up rainwater where it falls, the new playground helps reduce flooding on school grounds and in the surrounding neighborhood and limit sewer overflows into the East River and New York Harbor during rainstorms.

“The newly upgraded playground at P.S. 69Q gives Jackson Heights students and families a welcoming space to learn, play, and come together—and its design captures stormwater to help ease flooding on surrounding blocks,” said DEP Commissioner Lisa F. Garcia. “DEP is proud to partner with the Trust for Public Land, the NYC Dept. of Education and local communities to create greener, more resilient open spaces that protect our environment and prepare neighborhoods for the impacts of climate change.”

“Today, we’re celebrating more than a new playground—we’re celebrating what’s possible when a community comes together to create a healthier, greener place for everyone,” said Mary Alice Lee, New York City Playgrounds Program Director for Trust for Public Land. “P.S. 69 is a great example of how community schoolyards can turn underused spaces into places that support kids, bring neighbors together, and help communities become more resilient to extreme heat and flooding.”

“Jackson Heights families deserve safe, beautiful places where children can play, learn, and thrive,” said Council Member Shekar Krishnan. “That’s why I was proud to invest in transforming the schoolyard at P.S. 69 into a green, welcoming community space. Trust for Public Land turned this construction around in a record time— showing that we can cut red tape and get things done quickly for New Yorkers. Now, P.S. 69 will serve hundreds of students every day and thousands of neighbors after school hours—bringing much-needed open space to the community with the least amount of green and public space in our city.”

P.S. 69 serves more than 800 students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. The new schoolyard provides a safe, welcoming place to play, learn, and gather in one of Queens’ most park-starved neighborhoods. Jackson Heights has some of the lowest access to open space in New York City, making projects like this critical for children’s health and community well-being.

Designed through a participatory process with students, educators, families, and community members, the new schoolyard features nature-based play elements, shaded seating, improved drainage, and green infrastructure that helps manage stormwater and reduce extreme heat. The subsurface storage system beneath the synthetic turf athletic field will capture, hold and slowly release stormwater back into the sewer after the peak rainfall—helping to reduce flooding and runoff in the neighborhood.

The community schoolyard is now open to the public outside of school hours, expanding access to much-needed outdoor recreation for more than 56,000 nearby residents within a 10-minute walk.

Half of the New York City residential neighborhoods with the least amount of park space are in Queens. Of the 198 NYC residential neighborhoods mapped for park space, Jackson Heights ranks 182nd. The renovated schoolyard gives families a beautiful, much-needed place to play and spend time outdoors close to home.

Support from partners School Construction Authority and Con Edison were critical to the new schoolyard project.

“Every child deserves access to safe, welcoming spaces where they can learn, play and thrive. At P.S. 69, we are transforming an underutilized schoolyard into a vibrant community asset that will serve students during the school day and families and neighbors beyond it,” SCA President and Chief Executive Officer, Celeste A. Ramirez said. “I’m proud to partner with Trust for Public Land, the Department of Environmental Protection, our elected officials and the school community to deliver a greener, healthier space that reflects the needs of this neighborhood. Projects like this are about more than improving our schools—they are about listening to communities, and delivering projects that make a real difference in the lives of New York City families.”

“Transforming schoolyards into welcoming green spaces is an investment in our young people and in the neighborhoods we serve,” said Jen Hensley, senior vice president of Corporate Affairs at Con Edison. “Trust for Public Land’s Community Schoolyards Program gives students a meaningful role in shaping their own communities while creating more opportunities for outdoor learning, recreation and connection. Con Edison is proud to support a program that will benefit thousands of students and New Yorkers while helping build greener, more resilient communities.”

The new schoolyard also reflects the creativity and contributions of local community partners. YouthBuild helped bring the space to life by building planter boxes, while Groundswell Community Mural Project engaged artists and community members to create a vibrant mural for the schoolyard. Their work adds unique, community-driven elements to the space and helps make P.S. 69 a place that reflects the people who learn, play, and gather there.

The community schoolyard initiative is a key part of Trust for Public Land’s mission to close the park equity gap and create vibrant, climate-resilient outdoor spaces in neighborhoods that need them most. Across the country, TPL has transformed more than 350 schoolyards, creating dynamic outdoor spaces that boost student health and learning, reduce neighborhood heat, and absorb stormwater.

About the NYC 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 8.5 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 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 X and Instagram.

About 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 4 million acres of public land, created more than 5,504 parks, trails, schoolyards, and iconic outdoor places, raised $112 billion in public funding for parks and public lands, and connected nearly 10 million people to the outdoors. To learn more, visit tpl.org.