All Parks and Playgrounds in Staten Island

Veterans Plaza is located in the Elmhurst section of Queens. Before the establishment of New Netherlands in the 1600s, the native Lenapes referred to the area as Mespat. In 1642, Reverend Francis Doughy, a dissenting clergyman, and a group of his followers from Plymouth received the permission of Director General of New Netherlands, Willem Kieft (1597-1647), to settle 13,000 acres Read more...

Admiral Edward Vernon (1684-1757) was a storied naval commander whose name graces many streets and locations in this country. Vernon joined the English Navy in 1700, and rose steadily in rank. He was appointed a member of Parliament in 1722, and staunchly opposed the government of Sir Robert Walpole (1676-1745), the head of the Whig party who is regarded as Read more...

This park located in Ozone Park is named for Vito Locascio (1935-2006), a Parks worker who played an active role in the life of Parks and who died from cancer at the age of 70 on May 4, 2006. Vito Locascio first came to work for Parks at the greenhouse in Forest Park in the early 1950’s. He was drafted Read more...

Veterans Park is Staten Island’s oldest park. It was laid out in 1836 when Port Richmond’s village streets were mapped and was reported to be the village green or common. Thirty years later, the town was incorporated as Port Richmond, and in 1898, the year of City’s consolidation, this park was named Port Richmond Park. Port Richmond, which had also Read more...

This parkland is dedicated to the memory of those soldiers from Elmhurst who lost their lives serving in World War I. A World War I-era howitzer once sat in the center of the triangle. Howitzers, which are light-to-medium weight artillery pieces, were used extensively during World War I as a means of providing support for both air and infantry units. Read more...

Van Alst Playground, adjoined to P.S. 171 and bounded by 14th and 21st Streets, 29th and 30th Avenues, is named after Peter G. Van Alst. Born in Dutch Kills (“kill” means “stream” in Dutch), Queens on May 28, 1828, Van Alst received his education at the District School and the Astoria Institute. He apprenticed as a surveyor for a few Read more...

Woodtree Playground is so named for the prominent willow oak (Quercus phellos) trees in the playground. A popular tree for parks and streets, the willow oak is one of the more durable trees. Although it flourishes in a wetter climate, the willow oak adapts to widely varying conditions. The trees narrow leaves create a comfortable shade, and are among the Read more...

This triangle honors William F. Moore (1897–1918), a Marine private killed in battle during World War I (1914-1918). A graduate of PS 17, Moore grew up nearby on the corner of 103rd Street and Corona Avenue. Moore enlisted in the Marine Corps in April 1917 and was killed in 1918 while serving with the 47th Company, Fifth Regiment at Belleau Read more...