Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Monday announced a 24-person \u201crenew crew\u201d will be embarking on a series of blitzes to refurbish city playgrounds, recreation centers and basketball courts.<\/p>\n
The team of plumbers, painters and other skilled workers will tackle up to 30 projects in stints of about three weeks each between April and October annually, with $2.3 million budgeted this year to cover the costs of the maintenance crew, City Hall officials said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a team dedicated to transforming playgrounds, sports courts, and rec centers at parks across the five boroughs,\u201d Mamdani said at a press conference in Queens.<\/p>\n
Mayor Zohran Mamdani joined city officials Monday to kick off the \u201cRenew Crew\u201d \u2014 a 24 person group of skilled trade specailists tasked with repairing city rec centers and play areas. Brigitte Stelzer for NY Post<\/p>\n
Renew Crews will repair everything from faulty water fountains to rusty horshoe courts. ZUMAPRESS.com<\/p>\n
\u201cThe basketball hoop that is hanging on for dear life, the water fountain that has not worked since Spring, or the fence that looks like it\u2019s about to give up entirely,\u201d he said. \u201cIf it is broken, this crew will fix it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hizzoner announced the project alongside city officials at the Dry Harbor Playground in Forest Park \u2014 as the \u201crenew crew\u201d kicked off its first project: repainting the basketball courts, nautical-themed climbing equipment and more.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Upwards of 5,000 complaints have been made to 311 regarding needed fixes to recreation areas over the past year, Mamdani said.<\/p>\n
The maintenance team will address faulty horseshoe and bocce courts, rickety benches and other common park amenities in disrepair. They\u2019ll also be mulching, pruning trees and enhancing the greenery around the 9\/11 memorial, city officials said.<\/p>\n
The city allocated $2.3 million for the project in this year\u2019s budget. Brigitte Stelzer for NY Post<\/p>\n