Travers Park facts for kids
Travers Park is a fun community park and playground in Jackson Heights, Queens, New York City. It's about 2 acres big, which is like having two football fields! You can find it between 77th and 78th Streets, right next to 34th Avenue.
More than half of the park is a big asphalt area where you can play basketball and tennis. There's also a cool children's playground with a spray shower shaped like leaves and vines. The park has restrooms, handball courts, a small picnic spot, and a place to park your bike. In 2012, a part of 78th Street next to the park was turned into a permanent plaza for people to enjoy. Also, a sports area from a nearby school was bought by New York City and added to the park. Even though Travers Park has lots of trees around it, it doesn't have a big grassy lawn.
Travers Park is a very popular place! It's in a part of the city called City Council District 25. This area doesn't have much park space compared to other parts of New York City. In fact, it's almost last in the whole city for park space, according to a group called New Yorkers for Parks.
How Travers Park Started
In April 1948, New York City got the land for Travers Park. The park was named after Thomas J. Travers, who was an important leader in the Jackson Heights community. It officially opened on July 26, 1949.
Park Improvements Over Time
The park got a big makeover in the mid-1990s. Before that, it was a bit run-down, but the renovation made it much better! New green planting areas were added in the northern part of the park, and they are still beautiful today. Many of the plants, bushes, and fences that protect them were put in by a group called Friends of Travers Park. This group still helps take care of the plants and shares ideas with the New York City Parks Department.
Growing the Park: The 78th Street Plaza
People started wanting to make the park bigger in 2007. As part of this idea, the nearby 78th Street was closed to cars from July to November in 2008 and 2009. This made the street a "play street" where kids could play safely. Several groups, like Friends of Travers Park and Jackson Heights Green Alliance, worked together on this project. They wanted the street to be closed more often, especially when the Green Market was open.
In 2010, after a march to get support from the local community board, the groups were allowed to close 78th Street to traffic for all of July and August. Then, in August 2012, a part of 78th Street next to the park was permanently closed to cars. It became a pedestrian plaza, which added about 10,000 square feet of space to Travers Park! The Jackson Heights Green Alliance manages this plaza. They make sure it's clean and help organize events there.
Adding More Space: The Garden School Yard
In February 2013, the city's Parks Department bought a 24,600-square-foot asphalt play yard that used to belong to The Garden School. This land was then added to Travers Park, making it even bigger! That same year, the children's playground was updated again. It was made to be fully accessible for children with disabilities, following the Americans with Disabilities Act rules. It's now great for kids aged 5 to 10 years old.
Recent Renovations and Changes
As of March 2018, Travers Park and Rory Staunton Field were being renovated. A big part of the park reopened in February 2019. The special play area for toddlers at Travers Park is planned to be rebuilt by late 2020. During this renovation, there was some discussion about a car dealership opening next to the park. Original plans wanted all of 78th Street next to the park to be car-free. However, a 200-foot section stayed open to allow access to the Koeppel Mazda dealership, which opened in 2018.
Rory Staunton Field
Right across 78th Street from Travers Park is Rory Staunton Field. This area is about half an acre and used to be a school yard for The Garden School. It became part of the city's Parks Department in 2013.
Who Was Rory Staunton?
Rory Staunton (1999-2012) lived in Sunnyside Gardens and was a student at The Garden School in Jackson Heights. He was very active in helping his community. Sadly, he passed away suddenly from a serious infection called septic shock. Rory's death helped inspire the New York State Department of Health to create new rules for all New York hospitals. These rules help doctors find and treat sepsis faster. Also, the Rory Staunton Foundation was created to teach people about this infection, which can usually be treated if caught early.
Fun Activities at the Park
Travers Park is a busy place with lots to do!
Jackson Heights Greenmarket
The Jackson Heights Greenmarket is a farmer's market that opens in the park every Sunday, all year round. You can find fresh food and other items there.
Summer Sundays in the Park
Since 2004, Travers Park has hosted "Summer Sundays in the Park." This is a series of performances that feature many different kinds of music from various cultures. The series includes a musical show by Theater for the New City and a puppet show by the Swedish Cottage Marionettes, which are based in Central Park. The Jackson Heights Beautification Group and its committee, Friends of Travers Park, help sponsor these events. Since 2008, the Queens Community House has also helped. The events get money from grants, including from the Queens Council on the Arts.
Sports and Games
On a sunny day in spring or summer, you'll often see many activities happening at Travers Park or Rory Staunton Field. People enjoy:
There are also courts for handball and a full-court basketball court. For younger kids, there's a special area for toddlers and a section with waterworks. You can also find tables for playing checkers or chess.
