This playground is about to get a makeover.
A Canarsie playground is set to get a $3.8-million facelift, local politicians and the Parks Department officials announced on Oct. 18.
The Bildersee Playground on Flatlands Avenue between E. 81st and E. 82nd streets will get a host of upgrades, including new synthetic turf, reconstructed basketball courts, drinking fountains and misting stations, new landscaping, and a new entrance, according to the Parks Department.
The $3.812 million project is set to be completed by the end of summer 2019 and is funded though allocations secured by Councilman Alan Maisel (D–Canarsie), state Sen. Roxanne Persaud (D–Canarsie), Borough President Adams, and Mayor DeBlasio.
The playground was opened in 1965 and its cracked basketball and handball courts, benches, and tables are frequently used by students from Intermediate School 86 next door.
It was named after Isaac Bildersee, an assistant superintendent of public schools in the borough during the 1940s, honoring his dedication to the city’s schools, and the First Amendment, according to the Parks Department.
The playground has been a boon for the students and residents alike over the years, according to Borough President Adams, who spoke at the event.
“For more than half a century, Bildersee Playground has been an important staple of our Canarsie community, making this neighborhood a safer and greater place to raise healthy children and families,” Adams said. “I’m pleased to partner with Councilmember Maisel and NYC Parks on capital investments that will enhance the active and passive recreation this playground provides.”
