Harris Field (a.k.a. Harris Park) in the Bronx at Bedford Park Boulevard and Goulden Avenue, built by the WPA in 1941, as reported in the New York Times, September 22, 1941, in an article titled Central Park Area to Be Improved For Benefit of Harlem Residents; Lake Near 110th Street Will Be Circled by a Walk With Paths Near By — Twelve Other Recreation Spots to Be Built by WPA:  ”WPA crews are busy on twelve other park and playground projects in other parts of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx ... [Projects in the Bronx...] At Harris Park, Bedford Park Boulevard and 205th Street, the Bronx, a new ten-acre athletic field is being developed. When completed it will contain a brick field house, four baseball and two softball diamonds, four football fields with removable goal posts, a flagpole, benches and drinking fountains. The department intends to plant 17,500 honeysuckle vines on the steep slopes around the field.“ The article goes on to mention work on a new playground at Bailey Avenue and West 234th Street with a large wading pool, as well as projects in Brooklyn and Queens. As for Central Park in Manhattan, the projects mentioned in the article were around the pond at 110th Street that is now known as Harlem Meer: construction of walls, new park entrances, footpaths and trails, landscaping, and a boathouse now known as the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center (but those are not the only New Deal contributions to Central Park!) More about Harris Field HERE. See the full text of the NYC Parks Department September 22, 1941, press release HERE.

The New Deal in NYC 1932-1943 | Frank da Cruz | fdc@columbia.edu