Queens Borough President Donovan Richards and City Councilmember Shanel Thomas-Henry (D-Corona) have had it with people just talking about upgrades to the facilities at Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
Last Thursday they gave the city 22.5 million reasons to modernize the park’s historic Playground for All Children.
Speaking at the playground, located just inside FMCP at 111th Street and Corona Avenue in Corona, Richards pledged $17.5 million and Thomas-Henry an additional $5 million in taxpayer funds to rebuild the facility that was the first of its kind in the country — designed from its inception to accommodate children with physical disabilities and healthier kids.
The discussion took place during a press conference in which Richards formally announced a task force charged with finding ways to fast-track city and private investment in FMCP [see separate story in some editions or at qchron.com].
“This playground has a history,” Richards said. “This playground is one of the most important places in the country in terms of inclusion. He Playground for all Children was the first playground in the United States to be built for able-bodied and disabled children.”
The borough president said his grandmother had a disabled child in a time when parents were encouraged to send them away.
“So it was very forward-thinking, a park like this,” he said. “In this park, kids in wheelchairs and walkers have the same ability to play as kids running around.
Thomas-Henry, who joined the Council in January, said the Playground for All Children was one of her earliest priorities.
“Every parent wants to see their child run, make friends, build confidence and experience the joy of being a kid,” she said. “That is why this project matters … To put this into perspective, the Americans with Disabilities Act did not become law until 1990 — six years after this playground opened. Long before accessibility became a legal requirement, this became the model.”
It was and remains a personal matter for Assemblywoman Larinda Hooks (D-Corona).
“I am the mother of a disabled daughter,” Hooks said. “This park has meant so much to me. I have five children. My other kids could go places where she could not play. This is all our kids’ park, so it meant a lot for me to be here today.
“My daughter is now 30 years old. So I am fighting for everyone’s children.”
Councilman Ty Hankerson (D-Jamaica) serves as chairman of the Parks Committee.
His interest Thursday also was more than professional.
“I would like to say, as someone with a disability as a child, this means a lot to me,” Hankerson said. “And I know it means a lot to families who have a child with a disability. As we say in our committee, parks are for everyone. No child should feel left out of the fun because the equipment surfaces or overall layout does not benefit them.”
Jacqueline Langsam, the Queens borough parks commissioner, said it was a bit early to forecast a timeline, saying the department would engage in an extensive outreach effort.
“We need to see what the community wants,” Langsam said.