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| Roy Wilkins Park. Photo by Tdorante10/Wikimedia Commons |
By James Johnson
For more than 50 years, the Southern Queens Park Association has been the backbone of Roy Wilkins Park.
Since 1973, SQPA has provided afterschool programming and critical community services to families across Southeast Queens. It is more than a nonprofit – it is a trusted institution built by and for the community.
Today, that institution is being pushed aside.
New York City is constructing a $92 million, state-of-the-art facility in Roy Wilkins Park complete with a gym, pool, indoor track, and modern community space. These are long-overdue investments that our community deserves.
But the reality behind this investment tells a different story.
SQPA, the very organization that sustained this park through decades of neglect, will not have access to this new facility.
Originally, New York City Parks indicated that SQPA would be included. That promise has not been kept.
At this time last year, community leaders, stakeholders, and advocates were raising concerns, asking questions, and engaging in good faith about SQPA’s role in the future of Roy Wilkins Park. Several town halls were organized to get answers and ensure transparency.
The main question was simple: Why are two facilities being built in the same park?
There was a clear expectation that SQPA would be included, not sidelined.
