St. Mary's Park, the largest park in the southeast Bronx, bounded by East 149th Street, St. Ann's Avenue, St. Mary's Street, and Jackson Avenue, June 22, 2015. This park was totally reconstructed by the WPA at the same time as Crotona Park, and reopened in October 1941. The Parks Department press release of October 13, 1941, says:

St. Mary's Park consisting in large part of steep and rocky terrain had fallen into a state of shabbiness and disrepair owing to hard usage, outmoded design and erosion due to failure of old drainage systems. The large size of the area made it necessary to attack the rehabilitation problem in sections. For the past few years, by means of relief labor and contract work the Department of Parks, has progressed, the improvement of the park and its facilities, installing a large children's playground at East 147 Street and St. Ann's Avenue, constructing walks, comfort stations, erecting benches, etc.

Under the current project the remainder of the area has been improved. Some walks have been eliminated and all others have been regraded, repaved and corrected as to alignment. A new playground has been provided on St. Mary's Street near Crimmins Avenue. Various overlook sitting areas have been added and the ground topsoiled, seeded and landscaped.

The work was carried out by the Work Projects Administration from plans prepared by the Department of Parks.

Today's Parks Department website notes, in this page, that "In response to rapid population growth and residential construction in the neighborhood, three additional playgrounds opened in the park between 1938 and 1941."

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