Every Borough has Playgrounds that Need Work, Our Site Visits Show

Every borough has playgrounds with deficiencies, our site visits show. Thirty-one out of the 127 evaluations we conducted—24 percent—led to failing marks of four out of eight or less. The average rating of 5.61 demonstrates considerable room for improvement in the playgrounds we evaluated.

NYC Playground Evaluations

Ennis Playground, Brooklyn

Playground Usage: What the Research Says

A study, published in the current issue of the Journal of Community Health, examines how playgrounds are used and how people in neighborhoods across New York’s five boroughs perceive the playgrounds’ maintenance and safety.


VIDEO: The Stories Behind the Names

A majority of playgrounds in New York City bear names of nearby streets, schools and districts. Some honor social activists, politicians, local and world-known historic figures, inventors and even poets. But there are also a number of playgrounds with names that sound more intriguing. Maybe they’re funny or silly, or maybe they’re just not so ordinary.


Mayor-Elect Bill de Blasio

The Mayor-elect and the Challenges of a More Equitable Park System

Job opening: New York City Parks Commissioner. Responsibilities include maintaining the city’s 30,000 acres of land and championing its 1,700 parks. Interested candidates should know that among the position’s biggest challenges will be addressing the growing disparities in parks and playgrounds within the five boroughs. Warning: it’s sure to be a contentious issue requiring some familiarity with concepts of economic inequality.