The Gantry Plaza State Park Courts/Hunters Point Community Park will be shut down for the entire summer season undergoing restoration and improvements. While we are excited to see Hunters Point Community Park well-maintained and improved, a closure lasting over a year for relatively minor resurfacing and repair work, on courts that are already in reasonable condition, is hard to justify.

We're asking the state to work smarter and phase the project where possible to keep courts open for nearby residents. We are also asking the state to provide more clarity into project timelines and ensure there is accountability for any further delays. We will be presenting this letter to our local City Councillor, Julie Won, and the state assembly member, Claire Valdez, asking them to take up this issue on behalf of the Long Island City community. If you feel for the impact this park closure will have on the Long Island City community, please sign below to show your support and help us get answers.

Our main concerns:

1. Mobilization was supposed to start February 2026. The Notice to Proceed was anticipated for November 2025, with mobilization in February 2026. Residents deserve an update on whether this project schedule is on time or already slipping.

2. Timeline’s do not match the contract. The signs recently posted outline a Spring 2027 completion date, but the original contract calls for substantial completion by November 1, 2026 and full site work done by December 1, 2026. Many of the locals continue to use the park through the winter months, so the difference in these dates can be meaningful. 

3. The scope of work is relatively minor with a disproportionate time line. The project involves minor work including resurfacing courts, repainting a wall, resetting cobblestones, and repairing terrace walls. If the contract value listed online is accurate, and is only $661K–$895K, then this is not a major infrastructure project. A Spring 2027 completion for this scale of work, while the park is completely shut down, seems hard to justify.

4. Community impact is real and ongoing. Residents of Long Island City, particularly families and young people, rely on Hunters Point Community Park courts for basketball and pickleball. All of the courts are often packed during summer weekends and evenings. They are also used for children’s lessons, tournaments, and other community events. There are no other walkable substitutes for many residents. 

Every month of closure is a loss of recreational space in a dense, underserved-for-green-space neighborhood.

5. Transparency and accountability. We’d like a public-facing project update schedule, and to ask whether penalty clauses exist in the contract for delays and if so, whether they will be enforced against Raja Contractors Inc., the general contractor.

6. The park is already in good condition. Walking past the courts today, they're in reasonable shape and perfectly usable. The tennis/pickleball area was refinished with new lines two years ago and the basketball courts were closed and repainted just last year.

If the deterioration isn't severe, it's worth asking why a full closure of over a year is necessary rather than a phased approach that keeps at least some courts open. Residents shouldn't have to lose access to a functioning park for this long if the work doesn't demand it.

We are grateful our park has been scheduled for enhancements but the long timeline and lack of transparency is concerning to residents. Please consider signing and showing your support for our local community park!