The Q at Parkside

(for those for whom the Parkside Q is their hometrain)

News and Nonsense from the Brooklyn neighborhood of Lefferts and environs, or more specifically a neighborhood once known as Melrose Park. Sometimes called Lefferts Gardens. Or Prospect-Lefferts Gardens. Or PLG. Or North Flatbush. Or Caledonia (west of Ocean). Or West Pigtown. Across From Park Slope. Under Crown Heights. Near Drummer's Grove. The Side of the Park With the McDonalds. Jackie Robinson Town. Home of Lefferts Manor. West Wingate. Near Kings County Hospital. Or if you're coming from the airport in taxi, maybe just Flatbush is best.

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Playground a Big Hit

The Q and some pals decided to spend Saturday afternoon at the new basketball courts on Winthrop tween Bedford and Rogers yesterday, and the scene was jumping (literally and figuratively). There's a bunch of good looking exercise equipment that the kiddies were playing on since the toddler playground is still fenced off (why it's still not clear - looks finished to me). The gravity powered and as yet untarnished exercise equipment carries this label:


Kids have been breaking into the playground lately, not safe methinks, and the porta-potty for workers inside the fence became a makeshift "hideout" during one round of imaginative play the other day that involved hiding from the Q. I think I may have looked a bit like an authority figure and they kept saying "we gotta run and hid from the big man." It's weird to be that guy, but I was happy to play the role.



The nets on the rims have actual nets on them, a rarity for outdoor playgrounds, and I hope the City Parks are committed to keeping them replaced. Because probably 60 people were loving the space yesterday and will be all summer long. It's a pretty minimal investment to bring so much good-natured and healthy facilities to so many local kids (and a few gr'ups, myself included). Calder and I invented a game using a basketball called Grundle using the strange badmitton looking lines on one part of the playground, and if you ever want to play you can learn from the co-inventor of the sport, soon to be an Olympic event I'm sure. Game on!

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