“Playtime in Brooklyn”. That’s what comes to mind as we approach Cypress Hills Playground. This isn’t just any playground. It’s a place where community thrives and children’s imaginations run wild.
Cypress Hills Playground is more than swings and slides. It’s a local park. Here families and friends gather to enjoy the outdoors. It is located on Dumont Avenue in Brooklyn. This playground offers a vibrant space for everyone.
The playground is open daily. It welcomes visitors from 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM. This allows ample time for fun and relaxation.
Children will find a safe and exciting play area. It features modern structures. These structures inspire creativity and adventure. The playground also boasts open green spaces. These spaces are perfect for picnics or casual sports. Shaded seating areas provide a tranquil spot for relaxation.
One visitor said it is a very big playground with lots of space to play. Cypress Hills Playground fosters a sense of community. It provides a welcoming environment for all.
Interestingly, Cypress Hills shares its name with a nearby federal cemetery. Dutch, French and English farmers first settled the area in the early 18th century. They also brought African slaves with them. The area remained rural until 1807. That was when the Jamaica Plank Road was completed.
In 1964, Charles Forberg was commissioned to design a playground here. It was for the Cypress Hills Houses. This high-rise development housed over 1400 families. Forberg’s design featured a circular environment. It was seventy-two feet in diameter. It included seven-foot-tall vertical concrete slabs. These encouraged running and hiding. They also provided shade and shelter.
Critics admired the playground when it opened in 1967. However, safety concerns led to renovations later. One concern was parental sight lines.
Forberg aimed to offer varied experiences. There was a maze of concrete slabs. These had variable widths. They created a sense of discovery for children. There were also three circular enclosures. One was for water play. Another held a tower and slide. The last was for climbing and hiding. A central lighting fixture illuminated the entire site.
Forberg believed children should move through rich and varied spaces. He saw abstraction as a way for kids to make their own choices. His design emphasized action and fantasy.
The playground used rugged materials in a provocative arrangement. This provided play excitement. It focused on the spaces created rather than the materials themselves. All parts were stationary. Yet they intrigued children to move and explore.
Today, Cypress Hills Playground may have standard equipment. But its history reflects innovative design. It once offered a unique space for Brooklyn’s children.
So as you watch the children play here at Cypress Hills Playground remember its past. Remember Forberg’s vision. A vision where a playground was not just a place to play. It was a work of art. A space for imagination and community.