Riverdale parents call for upgrades to Fort Independence Playground
Joel Ramirez created a petition, which has more that 200 signatures calling for upgrades to be made to the park.
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Parents in the Riverdale community are calling for safety upgrades to be made to their local playground.
Residents tell News 12 Fort Independence Playground is deteriorating. They say the rubber play mats, which are meant to provide a safe surface for children, are bent inward, cracked and pulling apart, causing their children to fall.
"These are obviously unsafe conditions and very hazardous," said parent Joel Ramirez.
Ramirez created a petition, which has more that 200 signatures calling for upgrades to be made to the park.
The New York City Parks Department tells News 12 that Fort Independence Playground is slated for a full reconstruction, which is expected to start in 2027. In the interim, it says it plans to address issues with the rubber mats being lifted in the park.
In a statement they said, "All New Yorkers deserve attractive, well-maintained parks and amenities for healthy recreation, community building, and connection with nature. Revitalizing this popular neighborhood playground will further our goals of improving our public infrastructure to make our communities healthier, safer, and more livable."
