NYC Parks Commissioner Iris Rodriguez-Rosa, Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson, members of Bronx Community Board 5, and other Bronx leaders and community members recently participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the reopening of the newly renovated Jeannie Jerome Playground.
The $4.3 million reconstruction, funded by the Mayor’s Office, includes new playground equipment with vibrant colors, as well as play panels and play areas. A spray shower was also added to help keep visitors cool in the summer. Picnic tables and seating were also added to the playground for families to use.
In an effort to mitigate heat during the summer and the noise from the nearby expressway, new shade trees and dense plantings were added to the perimeter of the playground. This addition also increased the amount of green space at the Jeannie Jerome Playground.
Sections of the fencing along the perimeter were lowered as a means to make the playground more inviting and attractive to members of the community.
“Jennie Jerome Playground is an oasis of recreation in a dense urban environment, offering Bronx children a safe place to play and stay active. Our recent capital project made the playground more accessible and inviting, while adding all-new play equipment, a spray shower, new shade trees, seating and lighting,” Rodriguez-Rosa said. “This site was upgraded through our Community Parks Initiative, which enhances park equity by improving public spaces in high-need neighborhoods. We’re grateful to the Mayor’s Office for funding this project and helping to ensure there are thriving public spaces in every zip code of New York City.”
New pavement and curbs were also added, along with enhancements to security lighting. Additionally, the playground now boasts an improved water supply and drainage systems.
“The completion of this renovation reflects our ongoing commitment to investing in our borough’s green spaces,” Gibson said. “With new play areas, trees to shield our families from extreme heat and inviting spaces for recreation, Jennie Jerome Playground is a model for how we can build healthier, safer communities through thoughtful, green design.”
The reconstruction of the Jennie Jerome Playground was performed as part of the Community Parks Initiative, an equity-driven investment program meant to enhance green spaces in underserved neighborhoods.
This particular project was completed several months ahead of schedule, allowing members of the Bronx community to take advantage of the new playground during the summer months.
Launched in 2014, the Community Parks Initiative provides funding for parks that have lacked significant investment for at least 20 years. Locations are prioritized based on multiple factors of the neighborhood, including poverty levels, density and population growth.
A study by the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy determined that renovations made through the Community Parks Initiative are 66% more likely to attract New Yorkers to these parks. The study also found that communities around these parks underwent quality-of-life improvements, which helped to uplift the neighborhoods.
“It is an exciting day for the families in this part of my district who can enjoy the fully renovated Jennie Jerome Playground,” state Sen. Gustavo Rivera said. “I want to thank the city for giving so many children in our community a top-of-the-line recreational space where they can play and stay active.”
The Jennie Jerome Playground is located within the confines of one of the six police precincts whose neighborhoods were prioritized for investments by the Mayor’s Gun Violence Protection Task Force. NYC Parks has committed over $400 million to these zones as part of the Vital Parks for All plan, which was launched in June 2024.
Named after the daughter of financier Leonard “The King of Wall Street” Jerome and former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s mother, the Jennie Jerome Playground was acquired by NYC Parks in 1950, during the construction of the nearby Cross Bronx Expressway.
