Mr. B's Inclusive Playground is making progress

Mr. B’s Inclusive Playground — a brand new, state-of-the-art playground in Rockville Centre designed to be accessible to children of all abilities, is expected to open sometime this summer, according to Mayor Francis Murray.

Located behind the John A. Anderson Recreation Centre, on North Oceanside Road, the $2 million project is the result of nearly nine years of work to upgrade the village park and surrounding facilities to ensure a more inclusive environment.

The project is named in honor of longtime recreation Superintendent Anthony Brunetta, who died in 2016. It was initially planned for the east side of Hickey Field, along Sunrise Highway, but because of concerns about noise and safety — particularly the proximity to train tracks, whose sounds can disturb children with sensory issues — the playground was moved to the recreation center, a safer and more tranquil setting.

“I am thrilled that construction is well underway for Mr. B’s inclusive playground,” Murray said in a statement. “We are excited to provide children with all abilities the experience of play.”

The playground features a sensory dome and play structures with ramps, and other upgrades to the surrounding park including new ADA-compliant restrooms, LED lighting, a new walking track, exercise stations, and tennis and basketball courts.

The journey to make the playground a reality has been a lengthy one: It began nearly a decade ago, when Maureen Jordan, of the Rockville Centre Lions Club, and Thomas Bucaria, of the village Little League, first approached Murray with the idea. Since then, the project has gone through various phases of planning and fundraising.

The initial plans were jump-started in 2015 by then State Sen. Dean Skelos, who committed $500,000 to the village. But the project stalled when Skelos was convicted of corruption and forced to resign from the Senate.

Determined to see the project through, Murray sought support from Sen. Todd Kaminsky to secure the funding through the State and Municipal Grant Program, ensuring the project’s continuation.

Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and former Assemblywoman Judy Griffin provided more financial support in the summer of 2022, announcing that their chamber would contribute an additional $1 million to complete the project. As well, several community organizations have collectively contributed more than $254,000 to the development of the playground.

Murray explained that through the grant provided by state lawmakers and the New York State Dormitory Authority, which together account for 90 percent of the funding, and the generous donations of community groups including the Feil Family Foundation, the RVC Lions Club, the Rockville Centre Little League, the Tommy Brull Foundation, Lindsay’s, the Rockville Centre PBA, RVC Blue Speaks, the Francis F. Wilson Elementary School and the Tim McMullan Memorial Fund, the project has raised nearly $2 million.

Thanks to this extensive fundraising effort, the project has no cost for taxpayers, and the playground will be open to the public, with no proof of residency required.

Martin Brull, president and founder of the Tommy Brull Foundation, a Rockville Centre-based nonprofit named after his late brother, has been donating the proceeds raised by the foundation’s Shine A Light concert series to the playground project since 2017.

“It really hits you when you start to see it coming to fruition,” Brull said. “It’s been a long road for this playground, but it’s great to see it come together. It’s going to be a great place for so many kids to enjoy.”

The Tommy Brull Foundation has raised funds for people with physical, mental and emotional disabilities since 2008, and in 2011 began hosting benefit concerts featuring artists such as Kurt Vile, The Felice Brothers and The Hold Steady to name just a few.

“It does bring a tear to the eye to see it come together,” Brull said of the playground. “Some of the things we do with the foundation aren’t as tangible, but with this, you can really see this come together.”

He added that he was excited about the progress being made, and looked forward to seeing children of all abilities have the opportunity to play together.

Ed Asip, past president of the Rockville Centre Lions Club, said that the organization has worked closely with the Brull Foundation, the Little League’s Challenger Division and the mayor’s office for many years to try and help make this vision a reality.

“We’re all really excited that the playground is near completion,” Asip said. “It’s looking good. The shade sails are currently being installed and the surfacing will be completed soon.”

The Lions Club and the Brull Foundation, Asip added, plan to capitalize on the momentum by continuing to raise money through the sale of walkway bricks as well as potential equipment sponsorships via the Lions’ website.

“We look forward to seeing children of all abilities and their families get to enjoy the new equipment in the near future,” Asip said.