Residents and tennis players in Bedford-Stuyvesant are frustrated with the Parks department over the winter closure of the Jackie Robinson Park tennis courts, which have been locked since December 2022. This decision comes after a community-funded $1 million renovation, and players argue it unfairly limits their access compared to other borough courts. A petition with over 561 signatures urges for equitable access to recreational facilities, pointing out community safety and inclusion. The Parks department cites past vandalism as the reason for the closure, promising a reopening in April 2023.
"There's no reason for them to be locked," Bruno said of the courts, which were reopened following resurfacing and storm water renovations in 2023. "All the other public courts are open ... and for some reason, they've singled out the Jackie Robinson courts to be locked all winter long."
"It is time to end this inequality and to encourage the use of the park, which enhances public safety," the petition notes. "There should be no difference in access to recreational facilities based on one's neighborhood."
Collection
[
|
...
]