Sheepshead Bay’s Mellett Playground is finally getting a facelift after sustaining years of constant flooding, according to city officials, who announced a yearlong reconstruction of the park that’s scheduled to kick off in the fall.
“We are looking forward to construction to begin here at Mellett Playground which is really utilized a lot,” said Councilman Chaim Deutsch at an Aug. 31 press conference at the park. “Parks and playgrounds are the lifeblood of our community. Children, families, and seniors gather in these open spaces to enjoy each other’s company and celebrate life.”
Major drainage issues have inundated the park since 2017, resulting in the greenspace sitting covered in giant pools of stagnant water for several months each year. The playground equipment has also not been upgraded since the Avenue V playground’s initial opening, and has deteriorated rapidly with little maintenance, said Deutsch.
“Mellett Playground has been in dire need of an upgrade — ponding issues have plagued the park, and old fashioned play equipment has been a source of frustration for kids,” Deutsch said.
The $2 million reconstruction project will work to remedy the park’s drainage issues on the ground and with the sprinklers, as well as outfit the playground with new swings, game tables, and other play equipment.
Construction will take around one year to complete, forcing parks honchos to close the play area until at least Fall 2021.
Work was originally planned to begin in March but was delayed by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, according to Deutsch, who noted that the project required a go-ahead from the city before they could plan to break ground.
Greenspace honchos told Brooklyn Paper previously that they have made several attempts to drain the swamp at the playground over the last several years, but structural issues rendered their attempts useless, and heavy construction is needed to get the job done.
