Elmhurst Park

Elmhurst Park is a 6.22-acre park in the Elmhurst section of central Queens, near Grand Avenue, 57th Avenue, and 80th Street. The park opened in 2011 on the site of the former Elmhurst gas tanks (two large natural gas storage holders that were a well-known Long Island Expressway landmark), representing a significant addition of green space to one of the most densely populated and park-deficient neighborhoods in Queens.

Elmhurst is one of the most ethnically diverse neighborhoods in the world, with residents from over 100 countries speaking dozens of languages. The neighborhood's primary immigrant communities include Chinese, Korean, South Asian, Filipino, and Latin American populations, creating a cultural landscape of extraordinary richness.

The park features a playground, basketball courts, walking paths, a rain garden for stormwater management, and open green areas. The park's design incorporates sustainable features including native plantings and permeable surfaces that reduce flooding in a neighborhood that has experienced stormwater issues.

The creation of Elmhurst Park was championed by community activists who recognized that the neighborhood's explosive population growth demanded new public green space. The conversion of the sanitation facility to parkland represented a significant investment in a community that had been underserved by the parks system.

Elmhurst Park serves as a democratic commons for one of the most diverse communities on Earth, providing shared outdoor space where the extraordinary variety of Elmhurst's residents can gather, play, and enjoy the simple amenity of fresh air and green grass in a neighborhood where both are precious.