Our work at NYC Play Streets
Play streets are a tradition in New York City. They are exactly what they sound like—streets closed to traffic for play, usually during summer when school is closed. For a time, when we first began working at play streets in 2013, the number of play streets seemed to be growing in NYC, thanks to support from the city’s health department and work by Transportation Alternatives. However in recent years, we’ve witnessed the closing of many of the city’s summer play streets in favor of more structured and controlled environments. Others have noted this as well. And just like adults, children appear to be spending more of their free time at home in front of screens. Despite this, we want to continue to support play streets because we believe that city children need space for unstructured, spontaneous, voluntary play.
Photos of our work at NYC Play Streets:
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Uni Reading Room, East Harlem Play Street
See gallery of photos of Uni reading room, E104th St, East Harlem, July and August, 2014.
Uni Reading Room, West Harlem Play Street
See gallery of photos of Uni reading room, W136th St, West Harlem, July and August, 2014.
Uni Reading Room, Jennings Play Street, Bronx
See gallery of photos of Uni reading room, Jennings St, Bronx, NY, July and August, 2014.
Uni Reading Room, Rivera Ave Play Street, Bronx
See gallery of photos of Uni reading room, Rivera Ave, Bronx, NY, July and August, 2014.
Uni Reading Room, Irving Play Street, Bronx
See gallery of photos of Uni reading room, Irving Street, Brooklyn, NY, July and August, 2014.
Uni Reading Room, Forest Ave Play Street, Bronx
See gallery of photos of Uni reading room, Forest Ave, Bronx, NY, July and August, 2014.
Blog posts about our work at NYC Play Streets:
Uni returns to West Harlem Play Street with Harvest Home
This summer we're starting to develop a circuit through NYC neighborhoods so our pop-up reading room can begin to have a deeper impact. We're relying on partnerships with organizations like Harvest Home—the city's largest operator of farmers markets in high-need, low...
Uni to Bronx Play Street hosted by Kingsbridge Heights Community Center
The Play Street run by the Kingsbridge Heights Community Center is perched on a hill, in the heart of the neighborhood, in front of the familiar red doors of the community center. KHCC has woven together a mix—a Grow NYC Youth market, exercise, dance, yoga, lunch—to...
Uni reading room returns to East Harlem farmers’ market
The Uni returned to East Harlem to create a reading room at Harvest Home's farmers' market and play street. Uni volunteers Emily Jacobson and Katherine Plater were joined by Chris, intern at La Casa Azul Bookstore. Our library partner was NYPL Aguilar Library. Today’s...
Uni reading room returns to Lyman Place, Bronx NY
As part of a run of ten Play Street deployments in partnership with Transportation Alternatives, the Uni returned for a second time to Lyman Place in the Bronx. There are fewer children passing through Lyman Place compared to some of our other locations, but we noted...
Uni lands in East Harlem market and play street
On July 25, the Uni wrapped up three deployments in a row in an East Harlem farmers' market and play street hosted by our partner Harvest Home. Uni volunteers Amelia Carver and Emily Jacobson were joined by Chris and Kasey, interns at Aurora Anaya Cerda's outstanding...
To the Bronx and Ms. Fox’s Play Street
For more than 30 years, Ms. Hetty Fox has made sure there is a safe place to play in the Morrisania neighborhood of the Bronx. (See New York Times article.) We’re honored to have been invited to participate in this play street. The Uni marked the first time that books...