In “Da Bronx” I was fortunate enough to live across the street from Bronx Park which is (if you include the Bronx Zoo and Botanical Gardens) roughly half the size of Central Park. Right in front of my house was the 219th Street playground where we had it all going on.

Sliding ponds, monkey bars, swings, bball court, see-saws. Actually the playground was broken into 3 parts. One for the kiddies, one for the older kids, and then the bball court.

When i was very young (late 60’s) the “Parky” (guy in green outfit who worked for the city) would open up the parkhouse (bathrooms) and turn off/on the sprinklers which was great in those dog days of summer. Then in the 70’s, I don’t recall seeing much of this Parky (think his name was George) and the parkhouse got vandalized and the sprinklers never worked anymore. Other than those black rubber mats being added under the swings, etc. the playground went downhill.

But I still have found memories of that place. Seems like an eternity ago.