In good news for the neighborhood, Hell’s Kitchen Park is back up and running, boasting new improvements after months-long renovations to the tune of $450,000.
The upgraded sports area of the park on 10th Avenue between W47/48th Streets showcases several new features, including a state-of-the-art pickleball court, fresh basketball posts and backboards, additional benches, newly laid concrete pavement for handball, new concrete in the handball area, a newly laid asphalt pavement lined with new trees, and a new drinking fountain.
“It’s all lovely,” said Elke Fears, president of the 47-48th Street Block Association. “The pickleball and basketball courts are green with white lines around them. So it looks nice and fresh. It looks terrific.”
The refurbishment suffered multiple delays, including poor weather and infrastructure issues that led to an idle period of six weeks. Progress was also stalled as workers awaited connection of the drinking fountain and drainage system. Renovations began around March, with the process initially expected to take around two to three months — but the work stalled due to rain and a month-long pause as workers waited for the newly laid asphalt to cure.
“We’re happy that the sports area is open again and people can use it,” said Fears. “I hope all of our sports-minded folks enjoy the new courts.”
There was an initial push from the Parks Department to put a fence between the new pickleball and basketball courts, but community members disagreed. “Initially, Parks wanted to put a dividing fence between the pickleball court area and the basketball court area,” Fears explained. “The community didn’t think that was a very smart idea so Parks agreed. They did what the community wanted and did not put the fence up. So now you just have the delineation of the court itself.”
A Manhattan Community Board 4 meeting in January debated whether renovations should include pickleball or a dedicated area for street hockey. Although pickleball’s popularity has been on the rise recently, street hockey has a long history in Hell’s Kitchen, producing NHL stars Brian and Joe Mullen — but on this occasion, pickleball won the vote.
New park awesome. Now why don’t the block association help us save Astro’s Community Dog Park located at 39th Street and 10th. You all keep making these pickleball courts, build some dog parks. Astros Community Dog Park is the only private dog park with history behind it. NyNJ transit will not include it in their upgrade so sad, and Hudson Yards billionaires playground won’t give us any space. So Sad. So I ask when are you going to build more dog parks or save Astro’s Community Dog Park? The Astros Community dog park is convenient for people with disabilities, senior citizens. Do you care about people with disabilities and senior citizens? Lets see.
Agreed. Enough with the pickleball. Its a fad and will seem very cringey in a few years.
I’ve lived in this neighborhood for over 40 years and this has to be one of the dumbest things I’ve seen happen to this neighborhood. This is up there with the CBD shops that have sprung up.
Carlos, I agree.
There’s no fence between the basketball courts and the pickleball court??? Oh boy, this is going to go very well 😅
It would be awesome to have a roller skating area as well! Hopefully, the space can be shared.
Yay! Pickleball! I’ve been playing for years and love it.
No now you will have to worry that the homeless and addicts don’t hide where the benches to the pickle board are ,then this really defeated the purpose of spending 450,000 on what ?
What would you prefer?
The Pickleball court is nice but another foot over and you wouldnt have a metal plate on the court. Any player could have told you that as it takes away from the beautiful court. Also a dividing line for the net would be nice.
How you suffer.
New tented home for migrants next year when our Mayor runs out of options. Enjoy it while you can.
And no place for Seniors to go and relax and enjoy the outdoors.
It’s there now.