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Marcy Playground gets new features thanks to comedian Tracy Morgan

Written by
Danielle Valente
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Tracy Morgan is a Brooklynite—and proud of it. 

Earlier this week, the fan-favorite comedian returned to his old stomping grounds for a ribbon cutting ceremony at Marcy Park, the playground he and his new TBS series, The Last O.G., donated $215,000 to renovating. 

"Brooklyn is proud to welcome back one of its most famous sons, and we're even prouder that he's giving back in a real way to the community that raised him,” Borough President Eric Adams said according to a statement from the NYC Parks Department. “Thanks to Tracy and TBS for making it possible for NYC Parks to refurbish Marcy Playground, a beloved Bedford-Stuyvesant park that was in need of some TLC. Neighborhood investments like these make Brooklyn a better place to raise healthy children and families."

Photograph: Courtesy NYC Parks/Malcolm Pinckney

The donation contributed to the new asphalt, fresh backboards for the basketball hoops (which include the logo for the show) and a mural from artist Askew One. According to the Parks Department, the grounds were in serious need of a makeover and hadn't received any updates for roughly 10 years. Now, kids can play on the multi-colored surface while taking turns shooting hoops at the sleek backboards. 

It was a sentimental throwback for the former SNL star. 

“I played on this court as a kid. I actually cut my finger once on a glass bottle here and the blood I spilled on the court was for these kids. This is for Brooklyn. It makes me so happy,” Morgan said at the event.

But Marcy Playground isn't the only park that received a few touch-ups. Earlier this spring (when it still pretty much felt like winter), the NYC Parks Department revealed that five parks across NYC will receive their own updates. Among the grounds slated for updates include Lyons Square in the Bronx—which received ADA-accessible equipment, basketball courts and even pingpong tables— and Billy Johnson Playground in Central Park, which will have new water jets by the summer (assuming we'll somehow get past 50 degrees this year). 

Regardless of the borough, these playgrounds are where NYC kids make their memories. We can't wait to check out all of the brand-spanking new features when summer gets underway! 

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Need some kid-friendly ideas for your weekend in NYC? We have a few. If it's still a bit cold, head indoors and check out these museums for kids, if we somehow get lucky temperature-wise, play a few outdoor games for kids or book one of these awesome family vacations if you need a quick getaway. 

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