Sunnyside Gardens · Since 1926

Sunnyside Gardens Park

The social heart of the garden community.

Historic invitation for the May 18, 1926 opening of Sunnyside Park
1926 opening invitation, via the Sunnyside Gardens Preservation Alliance ↗
Created
1925–26
Extent
About 3 acres originally; 2½ acres in 2007
Created by
City Housing Corporation
Purpose
Recreation and community life

The Park story

Park, homes and shared ground

Opened May 18, 1926, Sunnyside Gardens Park was created by the City Housing Corporation as part of the original neighborhood plan. LPC describes the existing private park as occupying most of the block between 48th and 50th Streets, Barnett Avenue and 39th Avenue.

Entrance to Sunnyside Gardens Park beneath mature leafy trees
A living part of the neighborhoodThe entrance remains a visible threshold between the residential plan and its community-wide green space.

Recreation

Neighborhood scale

Historic programs included tennis, baseball, basketball, volleyball, handball, croquet, horseshoes, children’s play areas and community meetings.

Ownership

Private by design

Created within the residential development rather than as a municipal park, it was dedicated for resident use and overseen by a community organization established in 1926.

Why the acreage figures differ

LPC’s historical overview describes the Park as constructed on approximately three acres in 1925–26; its detailed 2007 property description calls the existing park approximately two-and-a-half acres. Both measurements are retained here with their historical context.

Park information & sources

Continue with the Park itself

Historical context here draws on LPC and published sources. For current membership, access, programming and Park policies, consult the Park directly.