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Sept. 26, 2017 By Tara Law
A small Astoria park located by the Triborough Bridge has been named one of 67 parks to receive a major upgrade under the NYC Community Parks Initiative.
Chappetto Square, a 1.25 acre park located on Hoyt Ave (between 21st and 23rd streets), was named yesterday by Mayor Bill de Blasio and NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver to receive funding as part of the initiative.
The park, which contains a hockey rink and a flagpole, is likely to see a major injection of money. Eleven parks were named as part of the fall initiative yesterday, with $65 million being split among those 11 sites.
The CPI is a $318 million program that looks to renovate and upgrade 67 parks that have received less than $250,000 over the last 20 years.
Councilman Costa Constantinides said that Chappetto Square was in need of an upgrade.
“As a greenspace that is so frequently used yet hasn’t been renovated in many years, the CPI funding for Chappetto Square will provide a real benefit to the neighborhood around it,” Constantinides said in a statement.
The park will be “totally reconstructed,” said Meghan Lalor, a spokeswoman for the Parks Dept.
The Parks Dept. will be holding public planning meetings in October and November to get feedback from residents about what Chappetto Square needs. The budget and scope of the reconstruction will be announced after the meeting. The date for Chappetto Square’s planning meeting will be announced in the coming weeks.
The revamp is expected to be completed by late 2020 or early 2021.
Chappetto Square, while referred to as greenspace, is mostly asphalt.
Nevertheless, Martha Lopez-Gilpin, the president of the Astoria Parks Alliance, said spaces like the Square are important, especially to children who live nearby.
“I was glad to see it was acknowledged as a park,” said Lopez-Gilpin. “If we acknowledge that these parks are being used, it shows respect for the people who are using these spaces.”
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17 Comments
I’ve seen hockey, soccer, and even volleyball there for those latin families in the weekends. They also used that for small parties and plan to continue doing so. If they renovate that small park, it won’t mean much to people other than damaging property and/or just making that another spot for weed/liquor/late night ramblings. Oh, and another possible “alternative” spot for kids to skate as well once the skate park times are over.
This would of been a good area for a parking lot. Astoria Park is a block away. We have enough play space. This place is being re designed for the new trolley that is bound to happen and end in Astoria Park! It is not such great news!
known as the cheesebox for local kids who played hockey growing up . but prob will be a dog park Rip cheesebox! ?
One more spot for all these juvenile delinquents to get high at. Astoria park and it’s vicinity has become a breeding ground for weed smokers! Where are the cops ?
To round up all these kids getting high 24/7??!
Put the homeless there
And make it a permanent tent city for those that want to get high and spill liquor around? You sure you want another San Fran/Vancouver epidemic right next to the neighbors to the left and the bridge dwellers on the right?
Yes
Well if you buy a house near a park there should be a preconceived notion that there will be people there. Football is thriving, I mean REAL football. Why take that away? ‘American’ Football isn’t so American anymore. So I say rebuild, neighbors shut up, put up soccer/ hockey nets and volleyball nets. No need for another place where people can bring their poodles. U shouldn’t keep a poor animal in ur cooped up apartment anyway, animals should run the way you should!!!
Might the renovated greenspace maybe get some actual GREEN space, and not be just a sheet of asphalt? It would be nice to have another actual park besides Astoria Park; the neighborhood cries out for greenery, especially now with more and more apartment buildings going up.
I was so tired of all those loud and dirty soccer fans taking over the area. Add sprinklers and make a parent/caretaker and child only park!!!!!
Can’t help but feel this is subtly racist. . .are those “dirty soccer fans” perhaps, brown?? FU and your kids.
Soccer was usually the game of choice in that enclosed area! They drink and eat, are loud, blast music, take up the whole place and never clean up! They can go and hang out in Astoria Park after this place gets an upgrade. At least Astoria park has some type of maintenance and security. This area doesn’t. There are residential homes in this area. Glad they are fixing it.
Soccer was not the only choice. Hockey was played there for a long time. unfortunately since to one ever or barely cleaned the place, nor did the city maintain the ground, and people used the place as a dog park even when the area was used by hockey players or soccer players never picking up dog feces. Also the volley ball players put holes in the ground. Someone removed the hockey best. No respect for how space should be used. Similar things are happening in George Harvey playground as well. Can’t have things that last unless they are taken care by someone or private.
You’re right! They should turn them all into Citibike stations!
another waste of taxpayer dollars.
How exactly is it that creating better usable outdoor space is a waste of taxpayer $? Do the rest of us a favor and just stay inside.
I know. Parks are so stupid.
No one ever uses them.
Parks should charge a $25 admission so they can only be used my educated people with high paying jobs.