$1M Flatbush Play Yard Revamp Gets $500K Bump From Local Pol

FLATBUSH, BROOKLYN — A deteriorating play yard that hasn't been upgraded in two decades got a major bump in its financing for a renovation last week when state Sen. Kevin Parker agreed to give $500,000 to the project.

The play yard, which is part of P.S. 139 Alexine A. Fenty elementary school, has had a broken drainage system that has made it hard for the 1,000 students who use it each day to play on the grounds. The yard becomes flooded with large puddles after only an hour of rain or snow, school officials said.

(Provided by PS 139)

The disrepair has especially been a struggle because of the popularity of the play yard, since it is the only multi-age play space in Ditmas Park and Flatbush, they added.

"On any given weekend day you will find hundreds of local children and families riding bikes, playing ball, and connecting with friends," school officials said in a proposal to Parker. "During the school day, 1,000 students come out to play during eight recess periods and hundreds of children revisit the space during our DYCD and family funded after-school programs."

(Provided by PS 139)

Parker visited the school Friday to see the play yard and announced that he would agree to allocate the $500,000 school officials requested to help fix it. The officials first met with Parker in January and submitted an official proposal in February.

The money will help the school redesign and build the yard after another $500,000 from participatory budgeting in 2017 will finance digging it up and replacing the drainage system, officials said.

"The process will probably take several years but we will persist!" PS 139 Parent Coordinator Megan Demarkis said.

The first step will be an environmental assessment of the yard, Demarkis added. That will cost about $7,000 and reveal if any environmental remediation is needed before fixing the drainage system.

As part of the revamp, the school will also add culturally relevant murals to the yard that "inspire collaborative play." Officials will look for community donations and volunteers to help repaint the yard surfaces, which they will design with a team of artists, caregivers and students.