A $1.7 million renovation of Walter Ward Playground, located at 89th Street and 160th Avenue in Howard Beach, should be completed in the summer of 2010, news that will surely bring happiness to neighborhood youngsters.

Funding for the project, which was secured by Councilman and State Senator-elect Joseph Addabbo, will enable the Department of Parks and Recreation to replace the aging facilities and make the park accessible to all users, as well as provide children of all ages and abilities, from toddlers to teenagers, with a variety of activities for active recreation, including tot swings and a play unit for 2 to 5 year olds, two separate units for children 5 to 12, and a spray shower feature.

The Parks Department will also be able to use the allocated funds to renovate the existing handball courts and add new fencing, benches, game tables, lighting, resilient safety surface, drinking fountains, and extensive plantings.

Joanne Amagrande-Savarese and Steve Whitesell of the Parks Department gave a presentation about the reconstruction of Walter Ward Playground to the members of Community Board 10 at their meeting last week at the Knights of Columbus Hall on Lefferts Boulevard in South Ozone Park. The Parks Department representatives said that construction is expected to start next summer and take about a year to complete.

Parent Coordinator for P.S. 207, Nina DeBlasio, said that parent complaints about the dilapidated and neglected playground were brought to the attention of the school’s PTA, which in turn met with Councilman Joseph Addabbo in 2006.

After listening to their complaints, Addabbo allocated $1.7 million for the park’s facelift. DeBlasio said that after many meetings between her and project designer Steve Whitesell, he met with the parents last September to show them the first preliminary design sketches for the playground.

She said the parents applauded the Parks Department for their work on the project. After addressing a concern the parents had about the placement of a large piece of play equipment near the kindergarten entrance, the final park design was submitted and approved by the parents.

DeBlasio said the new park would have a tot area by 89th Street, larger play equipment and adult exercise equipment. She added that the basketball courts would not be disrupted during construction, allowing the Rockwood Park Summer Basketball League to play its 20th season next summer.

“They’re (the parents) very excited they are getting a new park,” said DeBlasio.

P.S. 207 PTA board member, Kelly Sinisgalli, said she was extremely happy with the playground project, and the board unanimously approved of the plans.

Walter Ward Playground was originally opened as P.S. 207 Playground on February 2, 1967. Its name was changed to the Rockwood Playground in 1985. In 1995, the City Council renamed it Walter Ward Playground to honor the former councilman who represented the community. During his time in the City Council, Ward chaired the Parks and Recreation Committee.

The park contains three full basketball courts, two handball courts, play equipment, and a shaded sitting area. In 1996, Mayor Rudolph Giuliani funded a $96,000 renovation of the playground, which provided new play equipment and safety resurfacing.