Highland Park (Brooklyn) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Highland Park |
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| Location | Brooklyn, New York City |
| Area | 141.28 acres (0.5717 km2) |
| Created | 1901 |
| Operated by | NYC Parks |
| Status | Open all year |
Highland Park is a large park located in Brooklyn, New York City. It sits right on the border with Queens. The neighborhood to its south in Brooklyn is called Cypress Hills. To the north, in Queens, you'll find Glendale and Ridgewood.
Park History
Highland Park began as land around the Ridgewood Reservoir. The City of Brooklyn bought this land in 1891. It was first managed by the Highland Park Society.
At first, the park was known as Ridgewood Park. Between 1901 and 1905, the Brooklyn Department of Parks started making improvements. They added buildings, a rustic bridge, and new roads. You could also find footpaths, a flower garden, a new lake, and a fountain.
In 1905, the park grew bigger when the city bought the Schenck estate. This land was just south of the Reservoir. The park expanded one last time in 1906. This was when a third piece of land to the west was bought from the Department of Water.
Fun and Games at the Park
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From its earliest days, Highland Park has been a popular spot for people. Residents from both Brooklyn and Queens came here to relax and play. The park eventually had many sports fields. These included fields for football, baseball, and tennis courts. In the winter, a frozen pond was used for ice skating.
An aquatic garden, which is a garden with water plants, was added in 1907. A special children's farm garden opened in 1915. The park is also home to a famous monument. It's called The Dawn of Glory World War I. The sculptor Pietro Montana created it, and it was dedicated in 1925.
In 1991, the western part of the park was renamed. It became the Vito P. Battista Playground. This was to honor Vito Piranesi Battista. He was a local teacher and a member of the New York State Assembly.
The Ridgewood Reservoir
The Ridgewood Reservoir was once a very important part of the city's water system. But new water systems were built, like the Catskill and Delaware systems. This made the Ridgewood Reservoir less needed. It stayed in use until 1959.
The third basin of the reservoir was used as a backup. It held water from the Catskill system. But it was finally stopped and drained in 1989. The reservoir's fenced-in basins slowly returned to nature. They became home to a birch forest and a grassy marsh. Now, they host many different kinds of plants and animals.
Park Improvements
In 2004, the reservoir area was given to the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. This meant it would become part of Highland Park.
In 2007, there was a plan to change one of the reservoir basins. The idea was to clear 20 acres (about 81,000 square meters) to build new ball fields. However, in 2008, New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. stopped this plan. He was worried about how it would affect the environment. He also had concerns about increased truck traffic and how the company was chosen.
Finally, in October 2013, the city announced a big renovation project was finished. This project added new pathways to the park. These paths are easy to use for people with disabilities and for bikes. One path even goes around the reservoir. New fences, lighting, and plants were also added.
The reservoir itself remains fenced off. It is now a special area for wildlife. No new ball fields were built. This project cost $6.92 million. This was much less than the $50 million that was first expected for the bigger plan in 2007.
