TPL and NYC Celebrate Opening of New Green Infrastructure Schoolyard

June 10, 2024

Today, Trust for Public Land (TPL) and New York City celebrate the opening of the newest “Green” Community Schoolyard at Vince Lombardi Elementary in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn.

“Parks are essential for the health of all New Yorkers, and this new community space is a key part of our work to close the park equity gap and increase climate resiliency,” said Tamar Renaud, New York State Director for Trust for Public Land. “In addition to serving the entire neighborhood with quality park space, this schoolyard will give students the opportunity to learn and play outdoors, while its green infrastructure features will absorb millions of gallons of stormwater that would otherwise flood our city streets. TPL is proud to have the support of Nike and our city partners who are also dedicated to increasing access to nature through Community Schoolyards.”

“Transforming asphalt schoolyards into sponges that absorb all the rain and snow that falls on them is one of many ways we are working to improve drainage and reduce flooding in neighborhoods across the city,” said DEP Deputy Commissioner for Sustainability Angela Licata. “Thank you to our terrific partners at the Trust for Public Land who work closely with the school community to ensure each of these projects is a success—and help to improve the health of NY Harbor!”

The newly renovated schoolyard will feature play equipment, a handball court, basketball courts, picnic tables, an outdoor classroom, pollinator gardens, and green infrastructure that will capture nearly 1 million gallons of stormwater annually that will in turn ease pressure on the area’s sewer system, reduce flooding and help improve the health of New York Harbor.

This opening is the part of the Mayoral Extreme Weather Task Force, established in 2021 to explore the City’s response to extreme weather events and address a rapidly changing reality in which extreme storms like Hurricane Ida are increasingly common.

“The creation of the new Healthy Schools category in our 2025-2029 Capital Plan is a commitment to providing students with an environment that is not only conducive to learning, but also prioritizes their well-being and physical fitness,” NYC School Construction Authority President and CEO, Nina Kubota said. “The $60 million included in the Capital Plan will help children access outdoor play spaces that are essential for their holistic development, fostering physical activity, social interaction, and imaginative play. We are thrilled to continue our partnership with TPL as they continue to transform schoolyards into beautiful, vibrant green spaces where everyone is welcome during and after school hours.”

Access to the outdoors for sport and play is a fundamental human need, essential to our health and well-being, and is an important tool in mitigating the effects of climate change. And yet, 100 million people, including 28 million kids, do not have access to a quality park within a 10-minute walk from home. The parks we do have are often not equitable. On average, parks in communities of color in the U.S. are half the size, lower quality, and in many instances more prone to flooding than parks serving predominantly white neighborhoods.