Photos by Steven
Yesterday, workers put down new asphalt on the multipurpose courts in Tompkins Square Park.
Work started on this space along Avenue A and 10th Street on Oct. 16, first with ripping up the asphalt that hasn't been repaired since the mid-1990s.
According to a landscape architect with the Parks Department (from a presentation in February), there's a lot of "asphalt structural damage," and it "needs to be replaced and repaired. And the only way to do that is to take all the asphalt down to the sub base and put new asphalt down."
Additions include new benches (the 1939 World's Fair models!), a kickball court, a high-low fountain that kids and adults can use simultaneously, and three new basketball backstops at the eastern end. Moving forward, the space will no longer host permitted sports, including hockey in the fall or softball in the spring-summer.
A painted walking track is also included in the plans. Here's a look at a rendering of the reconstructed space...
Previously on EV Grieve:
I’m glad to see this, now can we get some of that fresh asphalt on 14th street?
ReplyDeleteAnd 13th Street and 4th Street!
ReplyDeleteI really hope they do a good job. The city messed up the Skate Circle in Central Park so badly that the roller skaters had to pay for it to be re-asphalted themselves. I'd hate to see the skateboarders in a similar situation.
ReplyDeleteNo hockey! ugh
ReplyDeletePaving was started on 14th last night.
ReplyDeletePinch: about time! It seemed very strange to have the surface stripped down without being immediately refreshed.
ReplyDeleteOne goes faster than the other. Striping machines rip through long stretches of road quickly. Paving goes slower because you need 24 hours for it to settle and dry so it's more challenging to manage.
ReplyDeleteIs work proceeding in the fountain park just east? I've only occasionally seen single workers in there and it's scheduled to be closed until next year sometime. Why close the whole area just to have a snails pace renovation of the field house? Well, it's the Parks Department ...
ReplyDeleteWho plays kickball?
ReplyDelete@8:27pm School kids play kickball and I would be interested in a kickball league!
ReplyDeleteI would really be nice for younger kids kids to have a place to play “sports” . The TSP playgrounds are great, don’t get me wrong but we can’t play soccer/tee ball/kickball/any sports because there’s no open space for it there.
ReplyDeleteHopefully they’ll be able to do this on the east side of the field now while skateboarders are on the west end.
Yes, I’ve noticed the lack of play spaces for teens & sports. Too much off Tompkins is fenced off. The park needs more active lawns — perhaps one dedicated to children and one for teen sports. For years there was a group of parents who almost had to strong arm an area on the pavers by the Krishna tree for their kids to play soccer. I think they’re all grown now but the pavers weren’t the best spot. Once the field house is done, the parks needs major repairs throughout — and a bit of a rethink to open up the lawns. Plus it’s time to think of an actual funded & fully functional conservancy that can care for the lawns & greenspace. A conservancy needs a revenue stream. It’s the only way Tompkins will receive care — our electeds won’t do it.
DeleteBTW it’s not that difficult to reseed the lawn if it’s done smartly. Lush grass can grow back in 2-3 weeks if planted during wet season like October November and not over used. Paving the park is an oxymoron
ReplyDelete100% agree. However smart and Parks Department are words that don’t fit in the same sentence
DeleteThere’s a proper way to do the reseeding that takes more time and $ and it used to be done that way. Was it in an EV Grieve article where it was mentioned?
DeleteBecause enough people complained I think the district added some discretionary $ to get the cheap ass fix in place just before the height of this past summer.
I miss the nicer lawn and picnics and not sitting on dirt. I just couldn’t bring myself to go on the lawn. Or deal with the loose dogs.
But also, the lawn isn’t the place for sports.
We should be able to chill and read or sunbathe. On the grass.
In the areas that are not planted I do think we should try out mini lawns there. For people.
There is a “sprinkler” area in the closed Slocum area that would work for little kids, if there weren’t *so* many junkies there. I used to take my kid there but it got really bad.
Anyway it would be cool to be able to use the east end of the field for things again. Hopefully less glass and trash 🤞?? That was always such a hazard there, stopped using the field for my own stuff.
Also people, there’s
Friends of Tompkins Square Park
group. You should check them out.
The workers were there rolling and sweeping and paving past dark yesterday, working overtime to get it done. I was impressed.
ReplyDeleteEcho the comments from parents and such about the need for children's and teen recreation areas, particularly with the East River Park fields mostly gone.
Catholic school kids play basketball and football in this yard nearly every weekday, Chinese seniors do tai chi, and there should be more room and occassions for team sports with kids. Few of the local high schools have gyms to speak of, the Boys Club is gone now... kind of pathetic.
I hate asphalt and I worry that it will hurt surrounding old trees. I wish that they were creating a green grassy space. The city needs green spaces not more concrete and asphalt. Also will adults with no children be permitted to use the planned adult fountain or will that be off limits to childless adults?
ReplyDelete