Mayor Galime Announces $585,100 Revitalization Project for West Utica Parks

UTICA, NY — Mayor Michael Galime today announced a major investment in the West Utica neighborhood, marking the beginning of a significant enhancement at three local parks. Addison Miller, Hirt, and Lincoln Playground are set to receive new playground equipment, athletic court resurfacing, and enhanced landscaping to replace infrastructure that has been in place since 1984.

After four decades of use, the existing play units have fallen into disrepair. Plans call for replacing equipment, upgrading the safety standards, revitalizing neighborhood athletic hubs & tree canopy:

• Modern, durable play structures will be installed at all three locations.
• At Hirt and Lincoln Playgrounds, traditional woodchips will be replaced with Poured-in-Place (PIP) safety surfacing. This rubberized material provides superior impact protection and increases accessibility for all children.

• A total of four basketball courts and one tennis court will be resurfaced and relined.
• Responding to neighbor requests for immediate relief from the sun, the city is deviating from its standard planting protocol. While the city typically plants trees with a 1.25" to 1.75" caliper, a grove of larger, mature caliper trees will be planted around the Lincoln Playground to provide immediate shade and better aesthetics.

The Department of Public Works (DPW) and the Parks Department will begin demolition of the 1984 play structures this month. Residents can expect the installation of the new equipment to be completed in late May, just in time for the summer season.

"Investing in our parks is an investment in the health and spirit of our neighborhoods," said Mayor Galime. "By using these relief funds to replace 40-year-old equipment and provide the shade our residents have asked for, we are ensuring West Utica has a safe, modern, and welcoming space for families to gather for decades to come."

The project, totaling $585,100, is funded through Community Development Block Grant-Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) funds. These federal resources are specifically designated for community improvements that support outdoor recreation and public health in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.