Asser Levy Park playground fully restored nearly 2 years after fire
The playground in Coney Island reopened for play with new equipment nearly two years after a fire.
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Sare Aydogan, 9, can once again play on the jungle gym at Asser Levy Park.
"We finally accomplished our goal. The park is built and we can now play," Sare Aydogan said.
The playground was burned down in a fire in September 2024. As the months passed, the equipment remained damaged and untouched.
Sare Aydogan took matters into her own hands and started a petition to get the attention of the community and the city.
"They weren't building the park. So I was thinking, this is ridiculous," she said. "I want to help restore this.
News 12 cameras were at the park in December 2025 when the petition first launched, again in April and again in June, asking the parks department for updates on the status of the playground.
Now, nearly two years later, the park has been restored with brand new play equipment. It's been a long time coming for both Sare Aydogan and her father.
"They fixed it in one month, but the planning part took almost two years," Suleyman Aydogan said. "That's not logical to me. It's supposed to be better planning from the city, but we are happy kids will enjoy it during the summertime.
Kids are already enjoying the restored playground.
"There's a lot of friends in here I can play with," 9-year-old Matthew Goncharov said, "and there's a lot of activities here."
"Kids and people can have lots of fun," 10-year-old Bryan Velazquez said, "and they can have fun every day."
In a statement sent directly to News 12, the city's Parks Department wrote, "We're thrilled to welcome New Yorkers back to the fully restored Asser Levy Playground. We know how much this space means to the community, and we've been focused on maximizing access as we made repairs to the damaged areas. Now, Asser Levy Playground is back at full strength as we welcome New Yorkers to our parks and beaches for the summer."
