Newtown Playground

Newtown Playground is a 0.7-acre playground near Waldron Street and 90th Street in the Elmhurst section of Queens. The playground's name references the historic town of Newtown, one of the original settlements in what became Queens County, established by English colonists in 1652.

The town of Newtown was the administrative center of Queens County for over two centuries, and its name survives in several local institutions including Newtown Creek, Newtown High School, and this playground. The area that was once the village center is now the dense residential neighborhood of Elmhurst.

The playground features play equipment, basketball courts, and open areas serving one of the most densely populated and diverse neighborhoods in the city. Elmhurst's extraordinary immigrant population creates enormous demand for public outdoor space.

The neighborhood surrounding the playground is home to residents from over 100 countries, making every public space a meeting ground for global cultures. The playground's daily users include children speaking Mandarin, Spanish, Bengali, Tagalog, and dozens of other languages.

Newtown Playground connects modern Elmhurst to its colonial origins while serving the 21st-century reality of one of the most diverse communities on Earth, a small park where the historic English settlement has evolved into a global village.