New York, New York (April 18, 2022) - The New York Junior League (NYJL) is pleased to announce that its Playground Improvement Project program will revitalize Seward Park and surrounding green spaces in partnership with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation (NYC Parks). Over five weekends in April and May 2022, the Playground Improvement Project committee will lead NYJL volunteers in painting, landscaping, and restoring these much-loved community spaces. Following a final restoration weekend in May, a ribbon cutting ceremony will be held on Sunday, June 12.

“The New York Junior League kicked off the inaugural year of the Playground Improvement Project in 1992. Over the last 31 years, we have improved play space outside at public schools and created safe and beautiful green space in parks for the greater New York City community,” said NYJL President Dayna Cassidy. “We value our partnership with the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation and look forward to selecting a new park each year to spend five spring weekends outdoors with our volunteers to improve the quality of life for all New Yorkers with this annual, signature project of renovating playgrounds throughout NYC!”

Home to the first permanent, municipally-built playground in the United States, Seward Park is situated between Chinatown and the Lower East Side and named for New York Governor and Secretary of State William Henry Seward. The park spans over three acres and features basketball and volleyball courts alongside jungle gyms and fountains for children to play. For the first time, the Playground Improvement Project team will further expand its efforts beyond the park to restore neighborhood green spaces that have historically received limited investment due to their compact sizes, such as mini-parks, school playgrounds, and athletic courts.

“From boosting health and reducing premature mortality rates to offering opportunities for recreation and to gather together, parks are vital to New York City communities’ wellbeing,” said Mercedes de Guardiola, Playground Improvement Project Co-Chair. “Through our partnerships with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation and local communities, the Playground Improvement Project is working to ensure that all New Yorkers have access to high-quality green spaces.”

“As New York City continues to rebuild from the pandemic, we are thrilled to be restoring Seward Park and neighboring green spaces in Chinatown and the Lower East Side,” said Caitlin Martin, Playground Improvement Project Co-Chair. “Through this volunteer-powered project, the New York Junior League will leave a long-term and sustained impact on these invaluable green spaces and the communities they serve.”

To learn more about the New York Junior League’s Playground Improvement Project and how to participate, please email [email protected] or visit nyjl.org/pip.