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Councilman David G. Greenfield broke ground Tuesday on improvements to the 11th Parks project in his district, Di Gilio Playground, which is located on Avenue F and McDonald Avenue on the border of Boro Park & Kensington.
Once construction is completed next spring, the playground will be completely new, with separate play areas for toddlers, children aged 2-5, and children aged 5-12, as well as adult exercise equipment and game tables, plus security luminaires and a 6-foot perimeter fence to make sure that every child can enjoy the new amenities in safety.

“We are gutting the entire park in order to quadruple the play area for thousands of children. It’s a unique opportunity, and we are grateful to the Parks Department for making it come together,” Greenfield said.

Greenfield is funding the $2.8 million project as part of his pledge to renovate every single park in his district. The construction is expected to take one year.

Brooklyn Parks Commissioner Marty Maher, Community Board 14 District Manager Shawn Campbell and Community Board 14 Chair Alvin Berk all joined Greenfield, as did the team from Focus Cameras, a neighboring business.

“We’re updating the playground to meet the needs of the community today,” Greenfield said. “We are going to have new equipment that is going to be enjoyed by so many more people.

The ceremony marked the first major renovation to the park in over 20 years and the most significant improvement in its history. “I think it’s wonderful when a child can play in the same park that their mother or father did, but they shouldn’t have to use the same rusty swing set. We’re essentially giving the families in our community a whole new park to enjoy.”

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