Officials apply for $30G grant to revamp New Cassel playground

The Town of North Hempstead has applied for a $30,000 grant in hopes of using the money to replace playground equipment at Martin “Bunky” Reid Park in New Cassel.

“The Martin Reid playground is safe, but the equipment isn’t very current,” said town spokeswoman Carole Trottere. “The playground gets a lot of use and would benefit from some new features.”

The grant would come from the National Recreation and Park Association, a Virginia-based nonprofit that advocates for public parks and recreational activities. The association’s Play Spaces grant, now in its second year, will be awarded to 25 communities.

Last year, the association awarded grants to Baltimore, Detroit, Louisville, Nashville, Tampa and 20 other cities. This is North Hempstead’s first application to the park association.

Marla Collum, the association’s programs senior manager, said the grant is about creating opportunities for play and physical activities.

“Everyone deserves a great park, and this is one way that we can help communities improve their parks and also provide fun, engaging spaces where kids and families can get outdoors,” Collum said.

The association will announce this year’s winners on June 1, Collum said.

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Town officials said there is limited playground and climbing equipment in the New Cassel area, even though the hamlet has a high percentage of children between ages 3 and 11. Children need the new playground equipment so they can exercise and improve their socialization skills, town officials said in their application to the parks association.

Along with new equipment, officials said they would also add a trail system throughout the park. Flyers will be distributed around New Cassel inviting residents to the nearby Yes We Can Community Center, where they can provide input on which equipment should be purchased for the park.

Supervisor Judi Bosworth said the town will ask residents about playground equipment because “who knows better than the residents of a community what this neighborhood park should offer?”

“The fact that this project would actively engage residents of New Cassel in the design and improvements to the park makes it all the more exciting,” she said. “This grant would provide the town with the funds to make Martin ‘Bunky’ Reid Park a true magnet.”