The former playground consisted of deteriorating equipment and landscapes. The renovation of the site has included the addition of new equipment and many playground amenities. The current features include a basketball court, and an outdoor amphitheater equipped with a performance stage. In order to create the look of the globe, careful attention was paid to the formation of the various continents When completed, the unique theme gives the site a different visual appeal than the average playground.

Circling the world at the playground is the actual "Friendship Circle" pathway, which is a colorful paver design with silhouettes of children holding hands. Consultants Parsons Transportation Group of NY, Inc., made sure that each continent had a different and unique variety of tree plantings, which when fully developed, will provide necessary shade for the children while they play. The design team also provided the interlocking paver subcontractor, Village Green Landscapes, with a detailed paving pattern drawing for the silhouettes of children holding hands against a rainbow background. The paver manufacturer, Lafarge Interlocking Pavers and Walls, custom colored the blue, green, yellow, orange and red pavers used for the rainbow background

The former facade of Bandshell was damaged and showed major signs of negligence. The view of the renovated feature shows the view of the Bandshell and playground from the outdoor amphitheater. The park is part of a re-developed neighborhood called Willert Park Village, which covers 512 acres and 70 city blocks. This HUD project involves building over 300 new homes and reconstructing four parks over a projected three year period.

The park originally opened in the early 1960's and grew out of the Urban Renewal days of the City. The first design of the area used excessive amounts of pavement, chain link fencing and segmented park areas. The original look showcased the typical design of choice for playgrounds built during that era.

Over the next 30 years, the area started showing signs of decay and neglect. The once fully functioning equipment became unusable and dangerous. Broken site amenities posed serious danger to the small children who frequented the area.

Along with the deterioration of the equipment, the grounds were also displaying signs of neglect. By the 1990s, very little of the original park was used by members of the community.

As part of a re-developed neighborhood called Willert Park Village, which covers 512 acres and 70 city blocks, the reconstruction of JFK Park and Playground is a result of a grant from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The $12 million HUD project, known as the "Homeownership Zone", involves building over 300 new homes and reconstructing four parks during a three year period. The Federal Grant paid for the entire playground and installation, therefore no separate fundraising took place.

The JFK Park Rehabilitation Project represents the initial rebirth of the surrounding area. The worn-out facilities have been removed and replaced with durable new features. Existing areas that were potentially dangerous for accidental injuries have been removed and upgraded. The landscapes are now properly designed and maintained.

The renovated $1 million park includes the addition of a Game Time playground. The play area has been supplemented by the additions of new walkways, three basketball courts, picnic areas, a softball/baseball field, a multi-purpose lawn area, and an outdoor lawn amphitheater. The reconstruction also added a new concession building and rehabilitated running track.

The design team worked closely with members of the surrounding community, including the JFK Community Center, three adjacent schools, and nearby churches. A "door-to-door" survey was conducted to address the concerns and preferences of the community. Several design workshops were held within the neighborhood in an effort to channel different thoughts and ideas into one master plan.

The theme for the playground came from a nearby church called The Friendship Baptist Church. Community organization and neighborhood groups united together in support for the idea of the "The Friendship Circle".

Once the circle was adapted as the theme and central focus of the playground, the design team started the process of turning the concept into a reality. It was decided that the area would be designed in the shape of the world to symbolize the coming together of different communities. The people of the neighborhood became an inspiration for the design team.

The playground has become a replica of the world globe. The land and play areas on display represent the continents, while the sea is represented by the grass sections. Utilizing various shapes for the landscape, enabled the designers to spread out the playground structures in order to give children a very expansive feeling within the confines of a big city.

Circling the world is the actual "Friendship Circle" pathway, which is a colorful paver design with silhouettes of children holding hands. Design consultants Parsons Transportation Group of NY, Inc., had to make sure that each continent had a different and unique variety of tree plantings.

When fully developed, the plantings will provide necessary shade for the children while they play.

Each element of the design serves some purpose for expressing the themes of unity and togetherness. For example, the use of picnic tables promotes family and social gatherings, an activity greatly desired by the community. And the benches lined along the pathway enable parents to watch over their kids in comfort while interacting with other adults.

During construction of the park, the contractor faced many challenges, including difficulty in digging. Another construction challenge arose while developing the proper configuration of the play equipment within the confinements of the continent edges. GameTime worked closely with the Landscape Architects to properly fit the play structures inside the continents in order to provide necessary safety clearances. Their "New York City Tough" line of equipment is specifically made for areas such as JFK Park and Playground.

The design team and equipment company wanted the playground to be as unique as possible, with the inclusion of many state-of-the-art features. An opportunity to be a part of such an enormous revitalization program offered plenty of motivation for everyone involved in the project.

The general contractor, Visone Construction, worked closely with the creative team in order to ensure that all the design elements remained constant throughout the playground. An effort was made to verify that all of the surrounding groups within the community were represented within the playground.

After the initial site preparation and grading, the design team transferred the outlines for the world's continents from construction drawings to the site using a 10' grid. The goal was to create the look of the universe using the same proportions of the globe and its various continents.

The contractors then followed the curved lines of the continents with flexible concrete, pinning them every few feet. The final product was a 12" wide concrete band that formed the outline of the world's continents. The concrete band also serves as a divider between the safety play surface and various lawn areas. Once the continent formations were in place, the design team provided the interlocking paver subcontractor, Village Green Landscapes, with a detailed paving pattern drawing for the silhouettes of children holding hands against a rainbow background.

The design of the paving was one of the pivotal aspects to the renovation of the park. The theme of harmony, courage, hope, and determination are implied with the 'Friendship Circle'. In order to create the appropriate paving to go along with such an important theme, the designers needed a unique color scheme for the circle. Therefore, the paver manufacturer, Lafarge Interlocking Pavers and Walls, custom colored the blue, green, yellow, orange and red pavers used for the rainbow background of the paving.

JFK Park and Playground is utilized by thousands of nearby households, an adjacent community center, three schools, several daycare centers, and a number of area church-related programs for children. The City Parks Department and Police Athletic League also promote the use of the park for various recreational leagues and programs throughout the warmer months of the year.

The 'Circle of Friendship' has provided this playground with something more than just a place to entertain children. The theme of unity also gives children the chance to break down the walls of prejudice by developing lasting friendships. With the new reconstruction, the world theme promises to have a positive affect on generations of children for many years to come. LASN