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NYC Parks is rushing to build an inaccessible playground in Sunnyside Queens.

A $7 million playground project in Sunnyside is moving forward with a design that excludes disabled kids—and the City won't pause to fix it.

Torsney/Lou Lodati Playground was supposed to be rebuilt to serve the whole neighborhood. Community members specifically asked for accessibility features during the design process. But the final plan still leaves massive gaps: play equipment that requires climbing or balancing, no accessible bathroom, and no changing facility for kids who need assistance.

It's not about one missing swing or a ramp. It's about whether children with different bodies and needs can actually play—move, explore, take risks, make friends. Right now, the design offers some accessible pathways while keeping the actual play experience behind barriers only certain kids can cross.

We're asking NYC Parks to stop procurement and bring the community back to redesign this before construction starts. It's not too late—the park hasn't been built yet.

If this matters to you, consider signing and sharing the petition. What would you want someone to do if this was your family or your neighborhood?

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These steps were taken:
We reviewed the actual plans, filed FOIL requests and analyzed the records Parks produced, raised these concerns directly with Parks, and sought input from disability-rights advocates and people with expertise in inclusive playground design.

This is what we know:
Accessibility was explicitly identified as a community priority. The current plans identify the public restroom as “Not Accessible & Not in Contract.” Much of the central play experience relies on abilities such as climbing, balancing, crawling, transferring and independently navigating conventional equipment. Parks has also acknowledged that meeting minimum accessibility requirements does not, by itself, necessarily create a truly inclusive play experience.

This is who we have spoken with:
NYC Parks, Council Member Julie Won’s office, Queens Community Board 2, CIDNY, Magical Bridge Foundation, Design Trust for Public Space, the Mayor’s Office of Mass Engagement, the Queens Borough President’s office, Assembly Member Claire Valdez’s office, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, and other disability-rights and inclusive-design advocates.

And to be clear about what we are asking for:
No one is asking Parks to remove climbing structures, physical challenges or equipment enjoyed by able-bodied children. Inclusive design is not about taking something away from one group to give it to another. It is about providing more ways to participate, so children with different physical, sensory, cognitive and communication needs can play in the same public space alongside everyone else.

The idea that the park should “cater to the masses” while accessibility is treated as something separate misses a pretty fundamental point: disabled children and their families are part of the masses. They are part of this community. Inclusion doesn’t mean building a separate playground for disabled children. It means considering the range of people who will actually use a public playground when it is being designed.

We are not asking the City to throw out a $7 million project and start over. We are asking Parks, before procurement and construction, to bring meaningful disability and inclusive-design expertise into the process, look at what substitutions or additions are still possible, address the inaccessible restroom and changing needs, and make the project as inclusive as it reasonably can be.

And there is a very relevant example right here in Queens. Hunters Point Library in Long Island City opened as a major new public investment and accessibility problems ultimately became the subject of litigation and corrective work. The lesson should be to identify and address barriers before millions of dollars are turned into permanent concrete and equipment.

The park has not been built yet. There is still time to address these issues now.

I’m talking about John Vincent Daniel’s park (Right next to 52 street subway station)

What use to be a nice quiet park is now completely and I mean completely littered with garbage.

Aside from that every night you hear the Bluetooth speakers playing and open alcohol consumption.

Playing music and having a beer is no biggie really but a combination of this and trash everywhere makes this park feel unsafe for families at night (10:00 pm)

Anything we can or should do?

Hello, does anyone have a trustworthy vet recommendation for cat neutering and vaccinations? I’m nearby 47th and queen boulevard and rather go somewhere other than the clinic next door to Pelicanas

Had dinner last night at Mont Brew, in the old La Marjolane space. It’s a beautiful room, the staff are lovely, and the food was delicious. We had the crispy spinach chaat, momos, the pomelo crudo, truffle mushroom things, butter chicken, spinach paneer, and other stuff I can’t remember, but we loved all of it.

Our server said they expect their liquor license next week, so last night we just ran over to Jin Bros and picked up a bottle of wine. Lovely evening, and I’m really excited about this place!

Hi everyone! I’m looking for a studio or 1BR in Sunnyside and figured I’d post directly in the group in case anyone knows of something coming available.

I work at a anti-poverty policy nonprofit in FiDi and am currently subletting in Gramercy. Before New York, I spent six years in Alaska, where I was super involved in my community through nonprofit work and volunteering.

I’m drawn to Sunnyside because It feels like a real neighborhood with friendly people who care about and are involved in their community.

What I’m looking for:

Studio or 1BR

≤ $2,500/month

October 30/early November move-in, but flexible into December

Close to the subway

Cat-friendly (don’t have one, but would like one)

Open to lease takeovers, sublets that can become long-term, or renting directly from an owner

Thanks!

Justina

Hey folks, hope you enjoyed the fall! Getting hot again today!

What's going on in the neighborhood this week?

Saturday, October 3

Sunnyside/Woodside

• SWMA Volunteer Shifts — Help at Rusty Wheelbarrow Farm or distribute food at pop-up pantries at Woodside Houses and the 61st Street Station.

Jackson Heights

• 10:00 AM–12:00 PM — 34 Ave World Bike Ride — Starts at 93rd St & 34th Ave. Beginner-friendly neighborhood ride; Citi Bike riders must be 16+.
• 12:00–1:30 PM — Jackson Heights JuiceBox JukeJoint — The World’s Borough Bookshop. World music for kids, caregivers and anyone else who wants to join in.
• 10:00 AM–12:00 PM — Toastmasters International: America’s Best — Elmhurst Hospital + Zoom. Community public-speaking practice.

Astoria

• 12:30 PM — 31st Ave Open Street — This week includes a jigsaw puzzle swap, Hispanic Heritage Month literacy event, Indivisible Western Queens and NYC Trivia League.
• 2:30 PM — Bohemian Battles — Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden. Live full-contact medieval armored combat with real steel weapons.
• 4:00 PM — Café con Arte: Celebrating Latino Artists & Creatives — LM Cafe. FREE event featuring local Latino artists and creatives, art for sale, food and community.

Sunday, October 4

Sunnyside

• 1:00–7:00 PM — TASTE OF SUNNYSIDE 2026 — COMMUNITY PICK The big one this week. The 16th annual neighborhood restaurant crawl features 70 participating Sunnyside restaurants, bars, cafés and other food businesses. Tickets seem to be sold out, but I've seen a few sales go down here or through Facebook.

Jackson Heights

• 11:00–11:15 AM — Pages in the Park: New by Niña Mata — Travers Park. Neighborhood kids' storytime.
• 12:00 PM — 🎉 Queens Hispanic Parade — 37th Avenue from 69th to 86th Street. One of the strongest community events this week: nearly 100 cultural, civic and business groups are expected, with music, dancing, traditional costumes, floats and food. It’s combined with the Queens Dominican Parade after last weekend’s storm forced a postponement.

Astoria

• 1:00 PM — 4th Annual Mystic Mega Market — 31st Avenue Open Street. FREE multicultural market with crafts, art, food, workshops, astrologers, tarot/palm readers, psychics and healers.
• 6:00 PM — Maddie McClouskey & Brandon James Gwinn Are Unsupervised — SingleCut Tap Room. '90s/early-2000s nostalgia cabaret

Monday, October 5

Jackson Heights

• 6:00–7:30 PM — Spanish Conversation Club — 93rd St & 34th Ave. Casual Spanish conversation practice with no quizzes or pressure.

Who's going to Taste of Sunnyside? Where are you excited to eat, or what are you looking forward to trying?

Please dm or reply here

Hi! Looking for 2 tickets to go to Taste of Sunnyside - please let me know / dm if you're giving away any, thank you!!

Looking for a printer rec for standard / basic black and white copies. Rather use a local shop than staples or FedEx. Thanks!