- City:
- Brooklyn, New York City, NY
- Site Type:
- Parks and Recreation, Comfort Stations (Restrooms), Playgrounds, Athletic Courts and Fields
- New Deal Agencies:
- Works Progress Administration (WPA), Work Relief Programs
- Completed:
- 1941
- Quality of Information:
- Moderate
- Site Survival:
- Extant
Description
The land for what is now the John Allen Payne Park was acquired in 1940. “It is one of more than a dozen parks and playgrounds that line the highway now known as the Gowanus Expressway” (NYC Parks).
The WPA and the Department of Parks announced the beginning of work on a playground at the site in October 1941. The press release explained that, when completed, the playground would contain:
Irrigated sand pit
Seesaws
Slides
1 pipe frame exercise unit
4 shuffleboard courts
Brick comfort station
Concrete wading pool
1 combination volleyball and basketball court
3 paddle tennis courts with removable posts and nets
Roller skating area
6 concrete surfaced handball courts
The playground is still in use.
Source notes
Department of Parks, Press Release, October 1, 1941 NYC Parks - John Allen Payne Park New York City Parks Department New Deal Projects 1934-43Site originally submitted by Frank da Cruz on December 22, 2016.
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