The Parks Department thought the rope-play area in Washington Square Park’s recently reopened southwestern corner “would be a good fit for older kids,” but it appears smaller ones love it, too. “All are getting along well so far,” said Parks spokesperson Philip Abramson. The youngsters love running up and down the slopes of the little valley, which was formerly home to “the mounds,” three small, raised hillocks. However, the rope structure isn’t meant to hold the weight of adults, and Parks will be installing signs to remind adults it’s a kids-only play area. In addition, the new park building’s restrooms were opened on Monday. The park building is actually on target to achieve a LEED Gold rating (not Silver, as Parks previously told The Villager). Seventy percent of the building’s construction materials were regionally sourced, including granite from Upstate, and 30 percent were manufactured with recycled materials — like the reclaimed cedar for the trellis. For better indoor air quality, the building sports low or zero V.O.C. (volatile organic compounds) paints, adhesives, coatings and sealants.
