Long ago on this very spot a small schoolyard stood. Westbourne Playground wasn’t always a place of swings and slides. It has a rich history woven into the fabric of Far Rockaway. Originally named P.S. 104 Playground it was renamed in 1985 for the nearby Westbourne Avenue.
This land holds secrets. Before the playground or the school before even the village itself existed the Canarsie Indians inhabited the Rockaway area. They sold this barren land to Captain John Palmer in 1685. A deed issued by Governor Thomas Dongan marked the sale. Palmer’s disappointment led him to sell it to Richard Cornell a prominent iron worker. Cornell’s descendant Ezra would later found Cornell University. The Cornell family owned the land until 1808.
Imagine the transformation. The land was divided into 46 parcels. It was eventually developed into exclusive resorts a refuge from a cholera outbreak in 1833. Ferry service began in 1864 bringing people from Canarsie to the Rockaway seaside. Rail service arrived in 1869 further boosting development. Rockaway became a popular beachfront resort town with hotels restaurants and summer homes. Amusement parks even appeared in the 1890s.
Westbourne Playground opened on October 22 1950. The playground has served generations. It was built on the site of the original schoolyard for P.S. 104. Between 1965 and 1966 an addition was constructed after community protests. The community demanded more space for the students at the school. In 2008 renovations added new paving swings and trees. Honey locust trees now line the playground’s perimeter.
Westbourne Playground isn’t just a park. It’s a living testament to Far Rockaway’s story a place where history plays beneath the swings and laughter echoes among the trees. It’s a place where the past meets the present creating a vibrant community space.