Photo: The city Parks Department will begin construction in June on a section of Forest Park. File Photo.
A year-long capital improvement project in the area of the Overlook at Forest Park is scheduled to begin next month, according to the city Parks Department.
Plans for the T-Ball Field and Overlook Drainage System Reconstruction were first hatched back in February 2013. The design calls for mitigation efforts to reduce damage in the section of the park caused by erosion. Pavers, Plant beds and bioswales—landscape elements that help remove silt and pollution from runoff water—will be installed. Additionally, the T-ball field and all park pathways will be redone.
The project, which is scheduled to be completed by June 2016, has been funded through the offices of Queens Borough President Melinda Katz and City Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz (D-Forest Hills). Katz’s office secured $550,000, while Koslowitz was able to allocate $1.35 million.
That’s not the only major construction project on the 544-acre park’s ledger. The Overlook reconstruction is part of nearly $8 million in improvements slated for the Queens green space. The Mary Whalen and Joe Devoy playgrounds will be overhauled; all Forest Park greenhouses are scheduled to be renovated; all bike path signs are to be replaced; and a new path will be forged to connect the Greenhouse Playground to the Carousel.
While the plan is to stagger the projects, Parks did not provide a date when all are anticipated to be completed.
By Michael V. Cusenza michael@theforumnewsgroup.com
