Free Upper West Side News, Delivered To Your Inbox
After months of community backlash over a proposed redesign that appeared to strip River Run Playground of its defining features, the NYC Parks Department returned to Community Board 7 this week with a revised plan that restores the playground’s iconic water “runnel” — and won unanimous approval from the board.
Advertisement
But even as CB7 enthusiastically signed off on the updated design, some parents continued to question whether a roughly $7 million, full-scale rebuild — and the year-long closure that would come with it — is necessary for a playground many families already consider exceptional.The revised plan for River Run Playground, located in Riverside Park near West 82nd and 83rd streets, was presented at the CB7 Parks & Environment Committee meeting on December 15. The $7.09 million capital project is funded by City Councilmember Gale Brewer.
NYC Parks officials acknowledged that the new design was shaped directly by community feedback following an uproar earlier this fall, when residents feared the removal of the playground’s central water feature — the runnel that gives River Run its name.
“We heard loud and clear that we were missing a lot of the original elements,” a Parks representative said, noting that the team returned “to the drawing board” after the August presentation.
The updated design restores a continuous runnel flowing from a spray shower at the north end of the playground down to a catchment area near the sandbox — a major reversal from earlier plans that proposed a shortened or altered version of the water feature. The plan also preserves the sculptural sandbox designed by local artist Jerry Linus, along with multiple climbing structures, seesaws, expanded swings, and gathering areas with picnic tables.
Advertisement
CB7 members and attendees repeatedly praised Parks for its responsiveness. One board member called the redesign “beautiful” and “thoughtful,” while another said the process showed the agency “really listening” to parents and neighbors.Linus, who designed and built the sandbox more than 40 years ago, attended the meeting and thanked Parks for preserving the feature, which he described as a “beloved component” of River Run. Parks officials said they explored making the sandbox ADA compliant but ultimately decided against it in order to preserve its unique design and structural integrity.
Despite the overwhelmingly positive response, at least one frequent playground parent raised continued concerns about the scope, cost, and impact of the project.
Rafael Rosen, a parent of four who said he visits River Run multiple times a week, called it “one of the five best playgrounds on Earth” and questioned whether a complete teardown is warranted.
“I’ve never heard a parent complain about the playground,” Rosen said. While praising the revised design as “vastly better” than the original proposal, he argued that closing the playground for a year and spending $7 million was still difficult to justify.
Rosen suggested that Parks consider a more limited repair-and-rehab approach rather than a full reconstruction, proposing that savings be redirected to other community needs. He even offered to help organize parents to assist with resurfacing or maintenance work.
Parks officials pushed back, saying a full rebuild is necessary due to aging underground infrastructure, drainage issues, and current environmental and accessibility requirements.
“When you start excavating, we have to replace a lot of the infrastructure underneath the playground,” Parks staff explained, adding that piecemeal fixes often result in “band-aid solutions” that fail at different times.
The department said River Run has delivered more than 25 years of use since its last major reconstruction and would continue to deteriorate more rapidly without a comprehensive overhaul.
Other discussion points included plans to replace the playground’s existing tall chain-link fence with a four-foot steel fence — a move some residents initially questioned for security reasons. Parks officials said shorter fences have become standard citywide over the past two decades and have not posed problems.
Committee members also raised concerns about metal slides becoming hot in summer months. Parks said a shade assessment will be conducted, noting that metal slides are preferred for durability when feasible.
A tentative timeline presented at the meeting suggested that construction could begin in late 2027 or early 2028, following design completion, agency approvals, and the bidding process. Construction is expected to last roughly one year.
In the end, CB7 adopted a resolution “enthusiastically” approving the revised plan and explicitly thanking NYC Parks for revisiting the design and responding to community priorities — a notably upbeat conclusion for a project that only months ago had residents fearing the loss of River Run’s heart and namesake.
Have a news tip? Send it to us here!
