You are reading

City Completes Goal to Construct 50 Soccer Pitches Throughout the Five Boroughs in Five Years

City officials marked the 50th mini-pitch built in NYC in the last five years at a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Manhattan (Michael Appleton/ Mayoral Photography Office)

Nov. 10, 2021 By Allie Griffin

The city has completed its goal to construct 50 soccer pitches throughout the five boroughs in five years, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Wednesday.

The 50th mini-pitch was recently completed in Manhattan, marking the final soccer field built in the city through a $3 million initiative aimed at expanding free soccer programming in underserved neighborhoods and promoting a healthy, active lifestyle to city kids.

The “New York City Soccer Initiative,” launched in 2016, was made possible through a private-public partnership between the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, New York City Football Club, the U.S. Soccer Foundation, Adidas and Etihad Airways.

“Investing in recreational spaces for our children builds stronger communities,” de Blasio said in a statement. “I am grateful to the Mayor’s Fund and our partners for their commitment to provide more youth with opportunities to participate in sports and programs where they can develop life skills to succeed on and off the pitch.”

The last 13 mini-pitches were installed this year — ushering the city to its 50-pitches goal on schedule, despite challenges created by the pandemic.

In addition to the new fields, the initiative provides more than 10,000 youth in historically underserved NYC communities access to free soccer programming. The programming includes the U.S. Soccer Foundation’s “soccer for success” program and New York City Football Club’s “city in the community” foundation soccer programming.

The program also aims to mentor the city’s youth and works with the city’s Young Men’s Initiative to provide young men of color with mentorship opportunities.

New mini-pitches built this year in Queens include one in Flushing, one in Rockaway Park and one in East Elmhurst.

There have been 12 mini-pitches built across the borough since the initiative launched in 2016.

The CEO of New York City Football Club Brad Sims said he hopes the pitches have a lasting impact on the local communities where they are placed.

“Since our inauguration, we have been working to build a Club that is part of the fabric of this great city and one that will leave a lasting, tangible and positive impact across the five boroughs,” Sims said in a statement. “After just five years, we are tremendously proud to fulfill our promise, see these 50 pitches already having a huge impact on local communities and to know that they will forever be a part of New York City.”

Below are all 12 soccer pitches built through the initiative in Queens.

Built in 2021:

Vleigh Playground/P.S. 165 – 7035 150th St, Flushing, NY 11367

Bayside Playground – 102-15 Beach Channel Dr, Rockaway Park, NY 11694

Louis Moser Playground – 25th Avenue and 76th Street, East Elmhurst, NY 11370

Built in 2020:

Utopia Playground (Utopia, Queens) – 73rd Avenue &, Utopia Pkwy, Fresh Meadows, NY 11366

Pomonok Playground (Pomonok, Queens) – Kissena Blvd. &, 65th Ave, Flushing, NY 11367

Fresh Meadows Playground (Fresh Meadows, Queens) – 173rd St, Fresh Meadows, NY 11365

Built in 2019:

Equity Playground (Woodhaven, Queens) – 91-02 88th Ave, Woodhaven, NY 11421

Flushing Meadows Corona Park (Flushing/Corona, Queens) – Corona, NY 11368

Built in 2018:

Playground 62/P.S. 220 Edward Mandel (Forest Hills/Corona, Queens)

Built in 2017:

Triborough Bridge Playground (B), (Astoria, Queens)

P.S. 019 Marino Jeantet, (Corona, Queens)

Irwin Altman Middle School 172/Hillside Park, (Glen Oaks, Queens)

A full list of mini-pitch locations can be found here. The initiative also earmarks funds for maintaining the pitches.

email the author: news@queenspost.com
No comments yet

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

Advocates urge passage of New York for All Act as Assembly session nears end

Jun. 16, 2025 By Jimmy Robles

As the State Senate concluded its legislative session on Thursday, immigrant rights advocates renewed calls for lawmakers to pass the New York for All Act before the Assembly adjourns on Tuesday, June 17. The proposed legislation, along with several other immigration-related bills, remains pending as the clock winds down on this year’s session.

Queens gun buyback takes 74 firearms off streets, including ghost guns and assault weapons: DA

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Monday that 74 firearms were taken off the streets at the Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral of New York in Jamaica during a gun buyback event on Saturday, June 14. The weapons were exchanged for bank cards pre-loaded with cash, with no identification required and no questions asked.

“Gun buybacks serve as a critical tool for reducing gun violence and promoting public safety within our communities,” Katz said. “This Saturday, working with the NYPD and clergy leaders in Jamaica, we received 74 surrendered guns — including five automatic weapons. As a result, these firearms will not be used to cause heartache and tragedy.”

Queens Distance Runners hosts second annual track meet at St. John’s University, spotlighting Olympian and local talent

Jun. 16, 2025 By Paulina Albarracin

Dozens of runners gathered at the DaSilva Field Track in St. John’s University for the second annual track meet last month. Hosted by Queens Distance Runners (QDR), a grassroots running organization, the sporting competition welcomed sprinters and distance runners of all skill levels to test their abilities, vying for the podium in track events from 100 meters to 5,000 meters.

Elmhurst bus stop tragedy: Senior killed in freak accident involving Q52 on Friday the 13th

A Middle Village senior was struck and killed by an MTA bus in what officials say was a freak accident at a bus stop in front of Hoffman Park in Elmhurst on Friday the 13th.

Police from the 110th Precinct in Elmhurst responded to a 911 call of a vehicle accident at the intersection of Hoffman Drive and Woodhaven Boulevard just before 2 p.m., where they found the victim lying on the roadway after he was struck by an MTA Q52 bus. EMS responded to the scene of the collision and rushed the senior to Elmhurst Hospital, where he was listed in critical condition but succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead a short while later.