CB 11 Approves Plan To Repave, Upgrade Benson Playground

Community Board (CB) 11 has approved the Parks Department’s plan to rehabilitate Benson Playground, including new concrete in handball courts, new asphalt pavement, fresh paint, and other improvements by the end of 2017.

The schoolyard, which is located on Bath Avenue between Bay 22nd and Bay 23rd Streets, will also receive a new water fountain, a track and field area, plenty of new trees, and a bike rack, according to designs submitted to the board. In addition, a green space will be created for the adjacent P.S. 200 to use for educational purposes.

“The Community Board did support the plan and we thank Councilman Vincent Gentile for his support,” said CB 11 District Manager Marnee Elias-Pavia. “We think it’s a welcome addition.”

A blueprint of the project was displayed at the board’s February 12 meeting:

The design phase, which began in August of last year, is about 30% complete and should be ready by June 2015. Then procurement is expected to take nine months and construction of the new space will to take 12-18 months.

Between $1 million and $3 million has been designated for the project.