Very small playground located on the very busy Horace Harding Expressway…read more Two handball courts with the standard chain linked fence enclosure. The courts share a wall, so the occasional errant ball may travel to the other court. But mostly the enclosure keeps the ball with in the field of play and not onto the busy streets. There are also two basketball courts situated side by side. One is considerably smaller than the other. Suitable for one full court game and two half court games, simultaneously. The courts are also enclosed by a high chain linked fence. Generally enough to keep the basketball within park grounds. The eastern and western ends of the park consists of benches along with trees and shrubbery. Would be hard to carry out a conversation and I rarely see people sitting here aside from the homeless. I believe the park can be improved by leveling this area and adding more handball or basketball courts where the constant drone of the LIE doesn't really matter.

PUBLIC PARK: A Playground located beneath the ASTORIA BOULEVARD Subway Station. Also near the M60…read moreBus Stop at HOYT AVENUE. The AVENUE is named after the late Millionaire and ASTORIA Businessman EDWIN HOYT (1804-1874). I used to play at the Basketball Courts numerous times during my youth. Also available for public usage at the Park are Handball Courts, Play Structures, Swings and Game Tables. WORTH VISITING.

its not astoria park , not even close but for the locals this concrete small playground with its…read morebasketball courts , playground section for the kiddies and space to throw and kick the ball around its good enough . good amount of benches to relax while the little ones play or if you are into hearing the elevated train tracks vibrate while the trains wiz by 24/7. near the rfk bridge entrance as well and traffic noise heading to the bqe as well. overall a good neighborhood playground for the locals who dont need astoria park on a regular basis. nothing fancy but good enough in my book. 4 stars on my yelp meter.

I just found this little corner park a couple of months ago. Nestled in the corner there are two…read moreexcellent pullup bars, which I hit three or four times a week now. Great location at the bottom of the williamsburg bridge, so perfect midpoint for my 6.5 mile run from Union Square. Also for those interested, some parts of the jungle gym have rock climbing holds. I haven't tried them, but when they kids are at school it could be fun.

Tiny patch of green in the middle of concrete... not really a "park", but better than nothing.read more

Most definitely not a "park" in the traditional sense, but nice enough to walk through as a…read moregreenish gray refuge during your uptown travels. Here's to putting Montefiore on the map.

Hoffman is your average NYC neighborhood park. It is conveniently located across the street from…read morethe Queens Center Mall. It is a fairly big park for neighborhood park standards but is full of too much empty space. The main reason to come here are the basketball courts. They actually have several full courts and most of the time, several of these courts that are empty. This is not easy to find.

'They were the best of times, they were'..... 'the best of times'. Nothing 'worst of times' then…read morenor now, occupy no head space in my recollection of the mid 1980's. At some point we all looked to venture outside of our neighborhood boarders, seeking an excitement unknown. Some of the kids began talking of Hoffman Park which although a mere mile and change from my area seemed quite a distance away. During the day we played some pick up basketball but on weekend nights, Hoffman was a Heavy Metal hangout area. Meeting young new people every weekend in a public park, undisturbed, seems like a lawless existance today but rather common back in the day. Talk about living in the past! Me thinks me needs to stop back at Hoffman soon and hang out a little while for an updated perspective, sitting this time with an Earl Grey in place of a Meister Brau.

This is perhaps my favorite playground within walking distance from us…read more Just a few blocks North of the Brooklyn Public Library at Grand Army Plaza, Underhill playground has two main play areas (one for one for the little guys and one for older kids) that are separated by sprinklers, and a single entrance, which makes it easy to keep kids safely inside. To the right in the back are baby swings, and to the far left is a little grassy area under the trees. There are also two open cement areas in front of the restrooms, down a few steps, where children often play with balls or ride bikes and toys around. This playground has two distinctive features that make it stand out from other playgrounds: 1. The fountains, art sculptures, and mosaics that are the work of Julie Peppito[1]. They can seem whimsical or creepy depending on your artistic inclination: Gigantic fish with pudgy hands as tails and a duck on their head, with a human figure embedded in the duck; house-like metal sculptures with human features; large eye mosaics on the front wall of the bathroom. 2. The abandoned toys. Tons and tons of abandoned toys: Plastic bikes, excavators, toy houses, a spring horse, stuffed animals, cars, a scooter, push carts, etc... Most of these toys are broken, but the kids love them, and thanks to them your kid(s) will never get bored at this playground. This playground is well maintained, restrooms are open during normal hours, and the sprinklers have been on at all times during the summer months. Also, strategically located just a few blocks South is Gold Star Beer Counter[2], which is a great place for all beer lovers; after spending a few hours running after your kid(s) at this playground, you know you deserve a cold one. ------------------- [1] http://juliepeppito.com/new-page [2] http://goldstarbeercounter.com/

Bernard Family Playground 108th Street and 5th Avenue…read more I love this small playground. It's close to the Discovery Center. It's equipped for children ages 2-5. It's a nice place to take the smaller kids to work off energy from being cooped up in Winter. I managed to get a photo one day without children present. This playground is the smallest of Central Park's 21 playgrounds. Bernard Family Playground is just the right size for the younger children. They can explore three play areas: one with a sandbox and play structure, one with a water spray-feature, and one with bucket swings. Check out the large ginkgo tree in the center of the playground that provides shade.

Small playground across the Harlem Meer and Discovery Center in Central Park…read more I pass by it during many of my runs and it usually has local kids playing in it . It's a smaller playground set up in three sections. A swingset area, a jungle gym area, and a water sprinkler area turned on during the summer. It's right by an entrance with plenty of benches to sit on.

Located a block north of Queens Blvd, this park has it all for folks young and old…read more The fact that the bathroom was open for business upon my entering the blacktop clad recreation area, tells me this is a haven for NYC Parks Department employees. I sense water fountains working, garbage stoed and removed with regularly. The benches I counted could comfortably sit fifty, stone tables that second as a place to eat, or more likely, whose primary use is that of a chess board. There may be a sprinkler system set up for the hot days of summer in the city, for the kiddos sake I hope I'm right. Extending outside if the enclosed gated area sit a few benches under tall maple trees, where a view of the Van Wyke can be had, not my personal viewing pleasure. Begging squirrel count totalled eight. Eight begging squirrels that come up to you, perch upon their rear legs, hands fixed together. Cute little buggers they are.