Residents demand answers as Asser Levy Park Playground remains closed for more than a year
News 12 reached out to NYC Parks, and it said it expects repairs to be completed by the spring. Still, residents want more details.
Asser Levy Park Playground in Coney Island has been closed and untouched for more than a year - and kids and parents are demanding answers.
News 12 went to find out when children could get the chance to play on fixed equipment once again.
Melted plastic in the play area is a reminder of the fire that crippled the community playground in September 2024. Nearly 15 months later, kids are still locked out of the play area.
Sare Aydogan, 9, started a petition calling on the city to fully restore the park. Though she says kids still try to bypass the gates.
"At first, kids started jumping over the fences, and then they started breaking them down, and they still play, Sare said. “A huge chunk of the playground is missing, and it's not really fun like that.”
Her father, Suleyman Aydogan, says the playground as it stands is a major safety concern.
"It’s half burned and it's dangerous, there are sharp edges there," Aydogan said.
News 12 reached out to NYC Parks, and it said it expects repairs to be completed by the spring. Still, residents want more details.
"There's no clear timeline,” Aydogan said. “They don't say anything about when they're going to open it, what kind of park it's going to be, there's no clear plan.”
City Council Member Inna Vernikov, who represents the area, said in a statement that she has received the same response from the Parks Department and wrote in part, "We hear the community's concerns and will continue pushing to make sure parks fixes it as quickly as possible."
