QUEENS, NEW YORK, Sept. 16, 2026 – Trust for Public Land (TPL), in partnership with New York City Department of Environmental Protection, the School Construction Authority, and local elected officials, celebrated the ribbon cutting of a new community schoolyard at PS 69 in Jackson Heights—transforming an underutilized schoolyard into a vibrant, green space designed for students and the surrounding community.
PS 69 serves more than 800 students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. The new schoolyard provides a safe, welcoming place to play, learn, and gather in one of Queens’ most park-starved neighborhoods. Jackson Heights has some of the lowest access to open space in New York City, making projects like this critical for children’s health and community well-being.
Half of the New York City residential neighborhoods with the least amount of park space are in Queens. Of the 198 NYC residential neighborhoods mapped for park space, Jackson Heights ranks 182nd. The renovated schoolyard gives families a beautiful, much-needed place to play and spend time outdoors close to home.
“Jackson Heights families deserve safe, beautiful places where children can play, learn, and thrive,” said Council Member Shekar Krishnan. “That’s why I was proud to invest in transforming the schoolyard at P.S. 69 into a green, welcoming community space. Trust for Public Land turned this construction around in a record time— showing that we can cut red tape and get things done quickly for New Yorkers. Now, PS 69 will serve hundreds of students every day and thousands of neighbors after school hours—bringing much-needed open space to the community with the least amount of green and public space in our city.”
Designed through a participatory process with students, educators, families, and community members, the new schoolyard features nature-based play elements, shaded seating, improved drainage, and green infrastructure that helps manage stormwater and reduce extreme heat.
Though the use of a permeable surface for the playground and other green infrastructure such as trees and gardens, the Public School 69Q Community Schoolyard project will manage an estimated 720,000 gallons of stormwater runoff a year. It will help reduce flooding and treat stormwater pollution and during heavy storms—when the capacity of the wastewater treatment facility reaches capacity—help support the capture of 260,000 gallons a year of combined sewage and stormwater from being discharged into local waters and eventually Long Island Sound.
The community schoolyard is now open to the public outside of school hours, expanding access to much-needed outdoor recreation for more than 56,000 nearby residents within a 10-minute walk.
“Today, we’re celebrating more than a new playground—we’re celebrating what’s possible when a community comes together to create a healthier, greener place for everyone,” said Mary Alice Lee, New York City Playgrounds Program Director for Trust for Public Land. “PS 69 is a great example of how community schoolyards can turn underused spaces into places that support kids, bring neighbors together, and help communities become more resilient to extreme heat and flooding.”
Support from partners like the NYC Department of Environmental Protection, who contributed a $1 million investment to the project, the School Construction Authority and Con Edison were critical to the new schoolyard.
“The newly upgraded playground at PS 69Q gives Jackson Heights students and families a welcoming space to learn, play, and come together — and its design captures stormwater to help ease flooding on surrounding blocks,” said DEP Commissioner Lisa F. Garcia. “DEP is proud to partner with the Trust for Public Land, the NYC Dept. of Education and local communities to create greener, more resilient open spaces that protect our environment and prepare neighborhoods for the impacts of climate change.”
“Every child deserves access to safe, welcoming spaces where they can learn, play and thrive. At P.S. 69, we are transforming an underutilized schoolyard into a vibrant community asset that will serve students during the school day and families and neighbors beyond it,” SCA President and Chief Executive Officer, Celeste A. Ramirez said. “I’m proud to partner with Trust for Public Land, the Department of Environmental Protection, our elected officials and the school community to deliver a greener, healthier space that reflects the needs of this neighborhood. Projects like this are about more than improving our schools—they are about listening to communities, and delivering projects that make a real difference in the lives of New York City families.”
“Transforming schoolyards into welcoming green spaces is an investment in our young people and in the neighborhoods we serve,” said Jen Hensley, senior vice president of Corporate Affairs at Con Edison. “Trust for Public Land’s Community Schoolyards Program gives students a meaningful role in shaping their own communities while creating more opportunities for outdoor learning, recreation and connection. Con Edison is proud to support a program that will benefit thousands of students and New Yorkers while helping build greener, more resilient communities.”
The new schoolyard also reflects the creativity and contributions of local community partners. YouthBuild helped bring the space to life by building planter boxes, while Groundswell Community Mural Project engaged artists and community members to create a vibrant mural for the schoolyard. Their work adds unique, community-driven elements to the space and helps make P.S. 69 a place that reflects the people who learn, play, and gather there.
The community schoolyard initiative is a key part of Trust for Public Land’s mission to close the park equity gap and create vibrant, climate-resilient outdoor spaces in neighborhoods that need them most. Across the country, TPL has transformed more than 350 schoolyards, creating dynamic outdoor spaces that boost student health and learning, reduce neighborhood heat, and absorb stormwater.
About Trust for Public Land
Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national nonprofit that works to connect everyone to the benefits and joys of the outdoors. As a leader in equitable access to the outdoors, TPL works with communities to create parks and protect public land where they are needed most. Since 1972, TPL has protected more than 4 million acres of public land, created more than 5,504 parks, trails, schoolyards, and iconic outdoor places, raised $112 billion in public funding for parks and public lands, and connected nearly 10 million people to the outdoors. To learn more, visit tpl.org.
The Long Island Sound Partnership provided a $408,784 grant to the project through the Long Island Sound Futures Fund grant program. The news release was originally published by The Trust for Public Land for its website.
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