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Father Bernard J. Reilly (1889-1945) was the founding pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Queens Village. Born in Brooklyn, Reilly settled in Queens Village after repeated stays in Europe for religious study and war duty during World War I. This square honors the memory of his service both in the local community and as a war chaplain. Read more...
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This park, is named for Frank Frontera (1858–1952), an immigrant who realized the American dream in the community of Maspeth. Frontera emigrated from Italy and settled in Maspeth with his wife and infant son in 1883. An active member of the community, Frontera served in the Volunteer Fire Department until the age of 91. The owner of a barber shop, Read more...
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This park honors Francis Lewis (1713-1802), an early American merchant, patriot, and co-signer of the Declaration of Independence. Born in Llandaff, Wales, Lewis became an orphan at a young age. He completed a merchant apprenticeship in London, then traveled to America in 1738. The entrepreneur established a successful trading company in both New York City and Philadelphia, and grew rich Read more...
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This playground is named after the Klein family farm that formerly occupied the land. In 1895, the Klein family purchased the land bounded by 73rd Avenue, 195th Street, and 196th Place, and moved from Brooklyn to Queens. The farm gradually expanded to include almost two hundred acres at its largest. In 1936, the family began selling parcels of land—a few Read more...
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Equity Park was the 250th playground built in New York City under the direction of Parks Commissioner Robert Moses (1888-1981). Throughout his tenure in office, Moses opened as many as 15 playgrounds in a day, increasing the number of such spaces in the city from 119 to 777. This prolific expansion began with 71 new playgrounds opening in 1935, with Read more...
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Elmhurst Park, once an eyesore and traffic landmark, opened to the public in 2011 as a magnificent community greenspace. The site of Elmhurst Park was once the location of two KeySpan Newtown gas holders, a highway landmark popularly known as the “Elmhurst gas tanks.” With the support of the community, the site was sold by KeySpan to the City of Read more...
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Leo Ehrenreich (1882-1962) played a supporting role in Queens civic life and was instrumental in the creation of this playground. His father, Moses, owned Ehrenreich Bros. Coal Yards and was a successful real estate developer. Leo attended New York City public schools and graduated from DeWitt Clinton High School. On June 7, 1923, he married Minnie Manasse and within months, Read more...
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Emerald Playground’s name was inspired by its location on Jewel Avenue. The roadway was given its name because streets north of what is now Queens Boulevard were at one time given names in alphabetical order. Jewel Avenue, formerly known as Jewel Street, ran next to Kelvin Road, now 69th Road, which ran through a swamp in Flushing, over a stone Read more...
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Electric Playground takes its name from Electchester Homes, a housing development opened from 1951 to 1954 through the efforts of Harry Van Arsdale (1903-1986), head of Local 3 of the Brotherhood of Electric Workers. The 38-building community was built in response to the housing shortage faced by city residents after World War II. Electchester homes rest on the former grounds Read more...
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This playground’s name is derived from its position in relation to nearby Springfield Boulevard. Originally part of the St. Albans community, Cambria Heights had been included in a 1655 land grant from the Director General of the New Netherland colony, Peter Stuyvesant (1610-1672). Consisting largely of marshlands, forests, and farms, the area remained a relatively rural well into the 20th Read more...
