Mafera Park facts for kids
Mafera Park, officially known as Joseph F. Mafera Park, is a fun place to visit in Queens, New York City, USA. It's about 5.4 acres (or 0.022 square kilometers) big. This park is right next to the New York City Subway's Fresh Pond train yard. It's also near where different train lines, like the Long Island Rail Road's Bay Ridge and Lower Montauk branches, meet at Fresh Pond Junction.
You can do many cool things at Mafera Park! It has special areas for playing baseball, basketball, roller hockey, and handball. It's a great spot to get active and have fun outdoors.
Discover Mafera Park
Mafera Park is a popular spot for families and young people in Queens. It offers a variety of sports facilities. Whether you love team sports or just want to run around, there's something for everyone.
Park History
The park is named after a local person from Ridgewood named Joseph F. Mafera. When he passed away in 1967, the park was officially renamed to honor him.
The City of New York bought the land for the park in 1948. A special event called a "groundbreaking ceremony" happened on June 28, 1949. Important people like New York City mayor William O'Dwyer, Queens Borough President James A. Burke, and Parks Commissioner Robert Moses were there to celebrate the start of the park's construction.
Old Names for the Park
Before it was called Mafera Park, this area had other names. For a long time, it was known as Farmers' Oval. This was because a semi-professional baseball team called the Glendale Farmers Base Ball Club played there for almost 50 years, from the early 1900s to the 1950s!
In the late 1940s and early 1950s, people also briefly called it Ridgewood Park and Glen Ridge Park. This was because the park is located between the neighborhoods of Glendale and Ridgewood.
Park Improvements
Mafera Park got a big makeover in the early 1990s. After the renovations were finished, another special event was held. On March 18, 1995, mayor Rudy Giuliani, Queens Borough President Claire Shulman, and New York City parks commissioner Henry Stern all attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the park's reopening.
