“A basketball clinic with a Knicks legend? Right here at Sedgwick Playground?” I ask, watching your eyes widen in disbelief. Yes indeed. Sedgwick Playground isn’t just swings and slides. It’s a place where dreams were dribbled and slam dunked. Back in 2009, this very playground hosted a basketball clinic with none other than John Starks, the former New York Knicks star. Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe, along with local officials and kids from the community, joined Starks for the grand reopening of the newly renovated Sedgwick Playground. A $1.7 million project funded by the Croton Water Filtration Plant Mitigation Fund and the Courts of Dreams Foundation transformed Sedgwick Playground into a recreational oasis. The Courts of Dreams Foundation, dedicated to restoring basketball courts for city kids, played a key role in rebuilding the courts here. The renovations included spruced-up basketball and handball courts, brand-new playground equipment, swings, a refreshing spray shower, and even landscaping and erosion control. So next time you’re at Sedgwick Playground, imagine young basketball enthusiasts learning from a Knicks great. Picture their excitement as they practiced their skills on the very courts we stand on today. Sedgwick Playground isn’t just a park. It’s a testament to community revitalization and the power of sports to inspire.
Gould Family Mausoleum
Ever heard of a “Robber Baron?” Here at Woodlawn Cemetery stands the Gould Family Mausoleum. It is a testament to