$37.5M Project Will Transform This Brooklyn Park

BROOKLYN, NY — City officials and park leaders broke ground on a $37.5 million restoration of the Vale in Prospect Park, launching an overhaul of the park’s northeast corner that will restore historic landscapes and add new spaces for recreation and nature exploration.

The eight-acre project marks the largest capital investment in the Brooklyn park since the redevelopment of Lakeside from 2010 to 2013.

Officials from the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, New York City Economic Development Corporation and the Prospect Park Alliance joined community members for the groundbreaking.

Deputy Mayor for Operations Julia Kerson said the restoration reflects years of public input.

“Thousands of voices have contributed to the future of this beloved green space, and I am so grateful to the hard-working teams at NYC Parks, EDC, and Prospect Park Alliance for ensuring the Vale continues to carry the histories and hopes of New Yorkers,” Kerson said. “The new Vale will be more accessible, better maintained, and designed with families in mind.”

The project restores two historic landscapes: the Children’s Pool, a decorative water feature dating to the park’s early years, and the site of a former rose garden. The work also includes three acres of woodland restoration designed to strengthen a pollinator corridor across the park.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is supporting that work through a $300,000 community reforestation grant.

Plans for the Upper Vale, located on the former rose garden site, include three connected landscapes: a pollinator meadow, a nature exploration area for children and a picnic lawn with a pavilion.

The meadow will feature native plants such as wild bergamot, yarrow and pale purple coneflower designed to support insects and birds. Nearby pathways will lead to an arbor planted with coral honeysuckle and seating areas designed for accessibility.

The central nature exploration area will feature logs, tree stumps and boulders arranged for climbing and play, along with a hand pump water feature, sand area and shaded seating.

At the northern end of the site, a picnic lawn will open beside a small pavilion with a green roof. The structure will include eight all-gender composting restrooms, including two accessible stalls, along with a shaded terrace overlooking the landscape.

In the Lower Vale, crews will restore the Children’s Pool by rebuilding its shoreline, reintroducing historic architectural details and replacing invasive plants with native species. The design includes aquatic plants, bird baths set just below the water’s surface and discreet water bubblers to circulate the pool and prevent stagnation.

“New York City's public spaces are treasured across the five boroughs, and it is a priority to ensure that these natural spaces remain resilient and reflective of the communities they serve,” Jeanny Pak, of Brooklyn, said.

The restoration follows several recent improvements in the same section of the park, including new entrances along Flatbush Avenue, woodland restoration after damage from Hurricane Sandy, and renovations of nearby landmarks such as Endale Arch and the Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial Arch at Grand Army Plaza.

The park’s Vale area has changed repeatedly since the park’s construction in the 19th century. The landscape originally served as a children’s playground and the site of the park’s first carousel before becoming a formal rose garden in the early 1900s. City officials removed the flower beds in the late 1960s after years of decline.

The Prospect Park Alliance began a public planning process in 2017, gathering more than 3,000 ideas from over 2,000 residents about how the space should be redesigned.

Mayor Bill de Blasio later allocated $40 million in city funding to advance the project.

Construction crews expect to complete the restoration in 2027.