Jan. 27, 2016 By Jackie Strawbridge
Long-awaited upgrades to Astoria Park’s Charybdis Playground took a step toward fruition on Monday, when Council Member Costa Constantinides announced that he plans to fund a renovation project.
Charybdis Playground sits on the Astoria Park waterfront. It is a well loved but aging playground; parents have long been calling for equipment upgrades here.
In his State of the District speech Monday, Constantinides said one of his funding priorities is the renovation of Charybdis Playground. He is currently looking for close to $3 million in funds for this project.
The renovation would include added play equipment, as well as a large new spray shower to accommodate a wide range of ages.
According to the Councilman, the spray shower design would incorporate a wading pool that he said is currently underutilized within the Astoria Park pool complex, similar to a revamp that took place in Crotona Park in the Bronx.
This project is part of a “comprehensive plan for reinvestment in Astoria Park,” Constantinides said. As a part of this reinvestment, he has also committed to funding $1.5 million for landscaping throughout the entire park, stating that “erosion control is desperately needed in several areas,” and $2.4 million for upgrades to the bathrooms and locker rooms in the Astoria Park pool area.
The reinvestment plan also includes a proposal for a $3 million soccer field within the Astoria Park running track.
According to the Councilman’s office, cost estimates for these projects were pinned down through conversations with the Parks Department.
When asked for comment on the Councilman’s proposals, a Parks spokesperson said the agency will continue to discuss with him before making a recommendation.
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3 Comments
I agree the soccer field is not a good idea. Prior to the construction of the current track, there was another track and it shared the space with two baseball fields. So when you ran on the track, you had to duck foul balls and homeruns. Finally, somebody got the bright idea to get rid of the ball fields.
Now, track runners/walkers are going to have to share the track with soccer players and the crowds that gather to see them
Where is the sense here?
I agree the soccer field would not be a good idea. There’s already a soccer field on 20ave and 36street where the love chicken shop is.. And the one on Randal’s island so a another field would be a waste. Plus I like the grand lawn as we have events like movie night and stuff even for picnics it’s awesome don’t take that away from families.
They should have a membership and a seasonal fee for the pool I would say
Those upgrades sound like much needed relief for the park. But that soccer field in the middle of the running track is still a terrible idea. It would clog the whole south side of the park with foot traffic, litter, and noise, not to mention all the extra auto traffic during these “special events”. Look, there are several large soccer fields over on Randal’s island, directly across the river from Astoria Park. If “all of Astoria” is clammoring for one more soccer field, build it somewhere else in Astoria. Might I suggest over by the sewer treatment plant?