A beloved Bay Ridge park with deep ties to America’s military past just got a makeover.
NYC Parks Commissioner Iris Rodriguez-Rosa joined Council Member Justin Brannan, representatives from U.S. Army Garrison Fort Hamilton, and community members on Monday, Sept. 29 to celebrate the $1.4 million renovation of John Paul Jones Park, better known to locals as “Cannonball Park.”
The 10-week project fully repaved the park’s pathways and central plaza, replaced benches, repaired curbs and reseeded lawns. A new entrance at 101st Street now provides easier access for visitors to the green space, which traditionally serves as the final stop for the neighborhood’s storied Kings County Memorial Day Parade.
“Thanks to this renovation, John Paul Jones Park has gotten a full facelift, with brand new benches, fully redone paths and plaza paving, and even a new entrance,” said Rodriguez-Rosa. “These improvements make ‘Cannonball Park,’ as it’s known in the neighborhood, an even more inviting space for classic events like the Kings County Memorial Day Parade.”
“Best of all,” she added, the agency was able to complete the project “far ahead of schedule.”
“Projects like this are great examples of how investing in our local parks can make our neighborhoods more beautiful and more welcoming, and we’re grateful to Council Member Brannan for his generous support as we refurbished this beloved local space,” Rodriguez-Rosa said.
Brannan, who supported the investment, praised the project for giving new life to one of Bay Ridge’s most treasured public spaces.
“From Shore Road to Stillwell Avenue, I’ve been committed to revitalizing every park and playground in my district before I’m through. The new and improved John Paul Jones Cannonball Park looks beautiful,” he told Brooklyn Paper. “I grew up playing in this park so it’s a full circle moment for me and I hope everyone enjoys it. We even included a new paved pathway to make the annual Kings County Memorial Day Parade route easier to navigate.”
“Some people get Botox,” he added. “I’d rather give my local park a facelift.”
The park, named after Revolutionary War naval hero John Paul Jones, is home to several military monuments, including a massive 20-inch bore Parrott cannon surrounded by stacks of cannonballs — a nod to its nickname.
The timing of the restoration comes as Bay Ridge residents are rallying to preserve the neighborhood’s broader military heritage. Just blocks away at Fort Hamilton, the proposed permanent closure of the Harbor Defense Museum has sparked a wave of concern. The museum, the only publicly accessible military history institution in southern Brooklyn, chronicles Fort Hamilton’s role in defending New York Harbor since the War of 1812.
Local leaders, including Brannan and state Sen. Andrew Gounardes, have formally urged military officials to reconsider. In a joint letter, they called the museum a “living history site” and stressed its importance as a bridge between the civilian community and the region’s military legacy.
Meanwhile, a grassroots petition to save the museum has already garnered more than 150 signatures.
