Assembly Member Sam Berger has announced almost $1 million in funding for Flushing Meadows Corona Park, stating that the funding will support the preservation of the park’s infrastructure and enhance its public spaces.

Berger, in partnership with the Queens delegation in Albany, announced $990,000 in funding for the park, which he said would also go toward ensuring that visitors have access to a safe, welcoming and well-maintained environment.

Berger described the park as a “cornerstone” of the borough but said it has faced years of significant underinvestment, leaving it in need of greater resources in order to maintain and improve its facilities.

“Despite being one of our most beloved public spaces, the park has not always received the level of investment it deserves,” Berger said in a statement. “I was proud to work with the Queens Delegation to secure this funding and will continue to advocate for the resources needed to preserve and improve this vital community asset.”

NYC Parks Queens Borough Commissioner Jacqueline Langsam similarly described the park as one of the “true jewels” of the NYC Parks system, stating that it has served as a critical community gathering space for Queens residents.

“It is often called ‘The World’s Park’, and this investment reflects a shared commitment to keeping it that way,” Langsam said in a statement.

Several members of the Queens delegation in the state legislature welcomed the investment.

Assembly Member Nily Rozic said the funding would help ensure that local families have a safe and welcoming place to gather outdoors, while Assembly Member Andrew Hevesi described the funding as a “tangible outcome” that residents will see on a day-to-day basis.

Assembly Member Catalina Cruz said Flushing Meadows Corona Park represents the “heartbeat” of nearby Corona, adding that the park has historically lacked the funding it needs to thrive. Cruz said Berger’s investment will help that underinvestment.

“This funding will enhance the park’s infrastructure and public spaces, allowing all New Yorkers to enjoy all it has to offer ,” Cruz said in a statement. “I look forward to continuing the work with the Queens Delegation to secure investments like this one, and ensure Flushing Meadows Corona Park remains a place our community can utilize for generations to come.”

Assembly Member Larinda Hooks said the park is “Queens’s backyard,” adding that it is part of everyday life for thousands of families in her assembly district.

“A park that gives this much to Queens cannot continue to be asked to do more with less,” Hooks said in a statement. “This $990,000 investment is about making sure the infrastructure beneath this incredible public space is as strong as the communities that fill it every day. Our families deserve a park that is safe, cared for, and built to serve the next generation.”

Berger’s funding is the latest in a series of efforts to address infrastructural issues at Flushing Meadows Corona Park,

Queens Borough President Donovan Richards recently convened a task force made up of public and private partners to tackle “chronic disinvestment” in the park, announcing $22 million renovation of the Playground For All Children.

Richards announced the task force almost exactly one year after a report published by the Center for an Urban Future described Flushing Meadows Corona Park as the most “overlooked” park in New York City. The report outlined 20 ideas and solutions for “harnessing the full potential” of the 900-acre park.

One of those solutions was to revamp the Playground For All Children, which opened in 1984 and was designed to cater to children with physical disabilities as well as those who have sensory and vision issues. However, the playground has not been upgraded over the last 42 years.

The funding for the playground renovations mark one of the first acts of the newly formed task force, with Richards outlining that Flushing Meadows Corona Park needs baseline funding of at least $100 million in order to address existing issues within the park.