5 NYC Housing Projects Will Get New Playgrounds Designed By Residents

NEW YORK, NY — Public housing residents can now participate in the design and building process of planned resident-led playgrounds under a new partnership announced Tuesday with The New York City Housing Authority and national non-profit KaBOOM! The collaboration will allow public housing residents of all ages to create and construct playgrounds during a series of design workshops and community-based playground building days.

KaBOOM! is dedicated to supporting play in underserved communities. They've built playgrounds in West Philadelphia, Charlotte, San Antonio and more cities across the country.

During the workshops, kids and families can share their playground ideas with KaBOOM! play space planners. The playground ideas then come to life during community-build days, where families and community members work to build the playground at their housing development together.

New York City public housing residents can lobby their Resident Associations to have playgrounds built at their specific development, an NYCHA spokesperson told Patch.

"Sites will be determined based on resident enthusiasm for the playground, ability to galvanize volunteers and investment, and specific physical safety criteria," the spokesperson said.

Housing Authority will work directly with Resident Associations to implement the participatory playground-development process and establish the first five sites for playground workshops throughout the five boroughs.

Last month, residents of Red Hook Houses in Brooklyn teamed up with KaBOOM! experts for a playground workshop, which will be used as the working model for the new partnership.

“This exciting new partnership with KaBOOM! will allow families to play a key role in designing the new playgrounds where childhood memories will be made for years to come," NYCHA Director of Public-Private Partnerships Rasmia Kirmani-Frye said in the press release.

The schedule for the workshops and community-builds will be announced in the spring.

Photo: NYCHA Media