Coleman Playground facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Coleman Playground |
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| Harold Hunter Skate Park Coleman Square Chinatown Skatepark LES Skatepark |
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Coleman Playground in 2012
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| Type | Urban park |
| Location | Lower East Side, Manhattan |
| Created | New York City Department of Parks and Recreation |
| Open | All year |
| Terrain | Concrete |
| Public transit access | Q, F, D Trains |
Coleman Playground is a public park in New York City, sitting on the border between Chinatown and the Lower East Side.
History
The park is named in honor of an U.S. Army Corporal Joseph Francis Coleman who died in 1919. Before World War I, the Coleman family lived nearby on Madison Street. Coleman fought in France as a member of the 321st Field Artillery, the 82nd Division of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF). Coleman died on June 16, 1919 at Base Hospital in Hoboken, New Jersey, after contracting tuberculosis in the trenches. Exactly six months after Coleman's death, the Board of Alderman named this playground in his honor.
LES Skatepark
Under the bridge, Coleman Playground features a skatepark officially called the Coleman Playground Skatepark but often referred to as the LES Skatepark, LES Park, Coleman Square Skatepark, or Chinatown Skatepark. The park began as a DIY spot on old abandoned basketball courts, with the only obstacle being the double stair set that still exists today. In the early 2000s, the city installed pre-fab obstacles to mixed reviews. The locals skaters including Steve Rodriguez received a grant from the Tony Hawk Foundation to fix up the obstacles. The LES skatepark went through a complete concrete remodeled in 2012 and now features ledges, jumps, rails and a pyramid. This skate park is unsupervised. No bikes are allowed; inline skates are permitted.
The 2012 redesign was led by Rodriguez with funding from Nike SB. In 2017, the artist Barbara Kruger created an installation at the park which featured Kruger's signature bold text on ramps, rails, and walls with slogans like “WANT IT. NEED IT. BUY IT.” and “THE GLOBE SHRINKS FOR THOSE WHO OWN IT.” The installation is no longer visible.
In 2019, Steve Rodriguez and Adidas Skateboarding hosted a Go Skateboarding Day event at the park. The following day Rodriguez and Red Bull Skate hosted a best trick contest at the park with Jamie Foy.
