State Sen. Malcolm Smith (D-Queens) announced that Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently unveiled a $1.2 billion plan to the Department of Parks and Recreation to expand active recreation and greening initiatives.  The funding would be used to improve 290 school playgrounds throughout the city, including 10 schools within Southeast Queens.

As a part of the city's PlaNYC, a blueprint for a greener and sustainable city, all residents will be within a 10-minute walk from a playground or recreation area. A total of $111 million of the $1.2 billion is dedicated to beginning or completing construction on all schoolyard initiatives by 2010.