Bloomingdale Playground is located on Amsterdam Avenue between 104th and 105th streets
New York City playgrounds have unique identities; some have rivers, some have dinosaurs, and some feature sculptures of people with slides for legs. Despite their diverse designs, many of these parks remain inaccessible.
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On Friday, November 15, 2019, a ribbon cutting ceremony unveiled The Bloomingdale Inclusive Park and Playground on Amsterdam Ave between 104th and 105th streets, a local haven for those of all abilities.
This Wednesday, June 29, the second annual It’s Our Park Day propels Upper West Siders into summer with free and inclusive activities.
Bloomingdale Playground was recently transformed with the help of a $7.1-million-renovation. Features include accessible basketball courts (of different heights for those in wheelchairs), a bench area designed for adults to socialize, accessibility ramps for playground equipment, a turf field for general play, and a fitness section with equipment for adults. There is even a gardening community which sprang up this past May.
It’s Our Park Day promises friends, families, and neighbors an afternoon filled with a wide variety of inclusive activities. You’ll find game tables, stationary cyclers, a chalkboard wall, an ADA swing set, a tot swing, whirly gigs, a basketball court and much more.
Project Happy, an organization providing “athletic and recreational services to New York City’s children, youth and young adults who have disabilities,” will participate by hosting frisbee activities. There will be inclusive games with Wellness in the Schools, an organization teaching “kids healthy habits to learn and live better.” The Center for Independence of the Disabled will also be there.
Time Out named Bloomindale Park one of the best playgrounds in NYC, calling it, “the play space every neighborhood should have.” At its ribbon cutting ceremony back in 2019, Mark Levine, former District 7 City Council member, said “This beautiful new playground is not just ADA accessible but also goes much further than that in its design to encourage play between children of all types of mental and physical levels.”
The inclusive event is sponsored by The Friends of Bloomingdale, a local non-profit largely responsible for the park’s significant renovations and upkeep. It’s Our Park Day is on Wednesday, June 29 from 1-4pm and everyone is welcome.
