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Prospect Park Alliance proposes Parkside restroom rebuild and Shirley Chisholm pavilion; $6.875 million budget, timeline to 2028
Summary
Prospect Park Alliance presented plans to reconstruct the Parkside restroom into an all-gender, ADA-accessible facility and to add an open-air Shirley Chisholm pavilion, shaded seating, water fountains and informational displays; the organization cited extensive outreach and estimated project costs at $6,875,000 with completion targeted for 2028.
Prospect Park Alliance presented plans to reconstruct the Parkside restroom at Parkside and Ocean Avenue into an ADA-accessible, all-gender facility and to build an open-air Shirley Chisholm pavilion with shaded seating, water fountains, informational displays and a green roof. The Alliance’s current project budget is $6,875,000, the presenters said, and they described a planning timeline that would aim for construction documents in the next year, procurement in 2027 and completion in 2028.
Why it matters: the project combines a long-requested restroom upgrade with a new pavilion and public programming around the forthcoming Shirley Chisholm monument; proponents say it will improve amenities for people coming by Q train, nearby residents and park visitors.
Prospect Park Alliance’s director of architecture, David Yam, and other design staff described outreach that lasted roughly a year and included events at Medgar Evers College, library tabling, online surveys and community presentations. The pavilion design uses mass timber columns, terracotta fins for shade, a colorful painted ceiling mural referencing Caribbean cultural influences and LED lighting for safety at night. The pavilion will be open-air and include a changing station; the restroom will be made ADA accessible with updated plumbing and maintenance space at a lower level.
The Alliance said the project is informed by the Shirley Chisholm monument (a separate 32‑foot sculpture by Olalekan Jeyifous and Amanda Williams) and by community input gathered across several events. The presenters noted structural deterioration of the existing restroom, closed skylights and years of nonfunctioning interiors.
Concerns and questions from board members centered on timing, outreach and equity of spending. Several board members said they had not seen the materials early enough for their full boards to provide input and requested that the Alliance return to the community boards for direct reviews. Others asked about funding sources; Prospect Park Alliance representatives stated the $6.875 million budget is city funding, and later comments in the meeting referenced additional private fundraising or alliance support for other park maintenance and improvements.
Discussion versus decision: the Alliance presented the design and schedule and received questions; no vote was taken and the board asked the Alliance to continue outreach and return to community boards for additional input. Prospect Park Alliance requested to proceed with design development and said it would relocate nearby BBQ pits as needed before construction.
Next steps: the Alliance said it will continue outreach, finalize construction documents in the coming year, and seek procurement in 2027 with a target completion in 2028. Board members requested follow-up presentations to their individual community boards prior to any borough board vote.
