As New York City parents and children enter the summer months under pandemic precautions, a seemingly arbitrary set of standards has begun to emerge. As City parks and beaches reopen, we have seen hundreds of residents take advantage of public space.
However, schoolyards remain closed to our children. After months of Zoom classes and social isolation, our students deserve the opportunity to safely enjoy recreational space. For many neighborhoods, particularly in Eastern Queens, school playgrounds offer the only public parks space accessible to thousands of families. This unbalanced approach to openings deprives children of a healthy and safe opportunity for exercise.
I call on the Mayor and the Parks Department to reopen the City’s playgrounds immediately.
