Clara Wu Tsai Completes Renovations at Brooklyn Playgrounds
A $2.89 million project upgrades thirteen basketball courts across five parks in neighborhoods with high rates of gun violence.
By Naomi Tesfaye ·
Clara Wu Tsai, founder of the Social Justice Fund and owner of the New York Liberty and Brooklyn Nets, announced the completion of court renovations at Fish Playground on November 2. The event marked the finish of a larger effort to improve outdoor athletic facilities across the borough.
The city invested $2.89 million to upgrade thirteen basketball courts located in five parks. Officials selected these specific sites in neighborhoods experiencing high levels of gun violence. The Fish Playground improvements include new backboards, nets, benches, and water fountains. The courts feature a repaved surface finished in grey, black, and seafoam green.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani stated that play serves as a public good and a foundation for safe, connected communities. He said the renovated spaces will allow families to connect and enjoy the parks. Rashad Meade, principal of Eagle Academy for Young Men II, noted that such renovations help keep students close to school and out of harm's way. He added that the school plans to make full use of the new facilities.
Funding for the project comes from the city's Adopt-a-Park program, which accepts donations from individuals and groups to maintain city parks. The Social Justice Fund sponsored the work at Fish Playground, Jackie Robinson Playground in Crown Heights, Breukelen Ballfields in East New York, Fox Playground in Flatlands, and Sunset Park.
NYC Parks collaborated with the Social Justice Fund to select the sites as part of a racial justice initiative. Tsai described the courts as a cornerstone of community gathering. She said every pick-up game and youth league brings the borough closer together.
