Photo: NYC Parks / Daniel Avila
NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue today joined DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, State Senator Robert Jackson, Assembly Member Manny De Los Santos, Council Member Carmen De La Rosa, Community Board 12 Parks & Cultural Affairs Committee Chair Elizabeth Lorris Ritter, and community members to cut the ribbon on the newly reconstructed Anne Loftus playground, which has been renovated with new features and amenities, including a new spray shower area and other key features.
“Anne Loftus Playground has undergone a tremendous transformation and these renovations help ensure that this space can continue to serve our community’s needs all year long,” said Commissioner Sue Donoghue. “Our city’s parks and playgrounds are a vital resource, and these new additions—from the new spray shower to climbing equipment—are investments in our greenspace that will help serve New Yorkers for generations.”
“The Anne Loftus playground will provide a breath of fresh air for all of the parents and children of the neighborhood. I am proud to have worked alongside NYC Parks during my time at the Council to help make this project a reality,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “Thanks to the leadership of Mayor Eric Adams, the DOT and Parks will continue to work together to ensure we reconnect communities to their parks.”
“Anne Loftus Playground is a gem in our Washington Heights and Inwood community, providing joy to generations of families through an expansive recreational space,” said Assembly Member Manny De Los Santos, MSW. “Thank you Mayor Eric Adams, Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue, DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, and Councilmember Carmen De La Rosa for providing the funding, leadership, and implementation of these significant improvements to Anne Loftus Playground.”
“We thank NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue and DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez; it is due to their investment and commitment to our community that we today celebrate the renovations of the Anne Loftus Playground in Fort Tryon Park. It is a deserved $4.18 million investment for our treasured Uptown parks,” said Council Member Carmen De La Rosa. “This is a full circle moment for me. As a child growing up in Inwood, this playground was my backyard, and now my daughter and all of the children in our community can enjoy this space as well. As Council Member, I hope to continue investing in parks and open spaces to address the historic needs of our community.”
“We are proud to honor the memory of former District Manager Anne Loftus, after whom this playground is named, with this fun, beautiful, and truly accessible design,” said Elizabeth Lorris Ritter, Community Board 12 (Manhattan) Parks & Cultural Affairs Committee Chair. “CB12M has a long and passionate history of fighting for accessibility in our parks & playgrounds, transit, businesses, and other areas of public amenity. We worked with a broad cross-section of the public to get input on community priorities for an engaging water feature, climbing apparatus, and basketball to meet a variety of ages and needs. Fort Tryon Park was built in an era when accessibility was not a consideration, so it was especially important to open this playground up for all members of the public to enjoy. This new water feature, accessible both by ramps and stairs, honors the historic landmarked design while providing maximum access and functionality.”
The playground’s central spray shower area has been overhauled, creating a variety of spray features for children of all ages and abilities. The reconstruction also includes a new half basketball court and new climbing and fitness equipment, safety surfacing, pavement, plantings and
additional seating. New security lighting was also added, and the previous lighting has been improved.
This $4.18 million project was funded by DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez during his tenure in the City Council.
Fort Tryon Park, which includes the Anne Loftus Playground, opened on October 12, 1935. Anne Loftus Playground was rebuilt in 1997. In 1990, the playground was named for Anne Susan Cahill Loftus, who served as district manager of Manhattan’s Community Board 12 from 1980 until 1989.
You must be logged in to post a comment.