May. 19, 2023 Elijah Hamilton
A renovation project at Starr Playground, located at 209 Onderdonk Ave. in Ridgewood, is expected to be completed by October, according to the city’s Parks Department.
Starr Playground Construction (NYC Parks)
According to the Parks Department, the playground’s children’s play area will incorporate new, all-inclusive play equipment for children ages 2 to 5 and 5 to 12. The new equipment includes a new spray shower, along with improvements to the swing areas, including bucket and strap swings for children of all ages.
Other additions to the playground will include game tables and benches adjacent to the park entrance for adult seating, new drinking fountains, ground hydrants and plantings, and a second pedestrian path to provide access to the multipurpose area located in the rear of the park.
The renovations, which were made possible thanks to $2.3 million in funding from former Councilman and current Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and former Mayor Bill de Blasio, was part of a two-phase project to reconstruct Starr Playground.
The first phase of the renovations included improvements to the playground’s basketball and volleyball courts, which were completed earlier this year.
According to Community Board 5 District Manager Gary Giordano, much of the equipment in the playground needed to be updated.
He also said local residents provided great feedback during the planning process for the renovations.
“We had good discussions with people from the community during the planning process,” Giordano said. “But the people from the community who was most involved in working with us and the Parks Department were more concerned with the children’s playground because that’s a more intricate area.”
A spokesperson from the Parks Department told QNS that construction of the park is progressing on schedule.
“We can’t wait to unveil these new amenities to the Ridgewood community this fall,” the spokesperson said.