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PRESS RELEASE
Trust for Public Land, with support from the Brooklyn Nets & New York Liberty Foundation, Kevin Durant Charity Foundation, and the NYC Department of Environmental Protection, celebrated the opening of the newly renovated schoolyard at the Juan Morel Campos Secondary School in Brooklyn. The schoolyard is part of Trust for Public Land’s New York City Playgrounds Program, which aims to transform asphalt playgrounds into vibrant city parks open to the community.
The space includes an outdoor classroom, basketball courts, a turf field, running track, trees, permeable pavers, play equipment, fitness equipment, game tables, benches, color seal art, recycling center, and a drinking fountain. The basketball courts were designed by New York-based artist Nina Chanel Abney, whose work is showcased in collections around the world.
“Parks and playgrounds provide tremendous benefits for communities, from mental and physical well-being to improving environmental health, and having open space close to home means people will use it more often and get more benefits,” said Carter Strickland, VP of the Mid-Atlantic and New York State Director for Trust for Public Land. “We’re thrilled to be able to celebrate the opening of this new outdoor space that will serve so many Brooklyn residents and give children a safe place to play and learn.”
Sustainable elements were incorporated throughout the schoolyard, including permeable pavers and a turf field that will help capture 840,000 gallons of stormwater each year. These designs will help prevent flooded streets and overwhelmed sewer systems, keeping untreated water from polluting New York City waterways.
