Andrews Grove (49 Avenue between 5 Street and Vernon Boulevard in Long Island City, Queens) acquired the nickname “Shady Park” from its large trees. Hurricane Sandy knocked down many of these trees in October 2012. The Facebook group Friends of Shady Park was formed that month and restorations were made in 2013.
 
   
NYC Parks
Andrews Grove
49 Ave. bet. 5 St. and Vernon Blvd.
Queens
The City of New York acquired the land that is now Andrews Playground through a number of property transactions. The original playground was one-half acre, and was acquired by condemnation for school purposes in 1900. Two years later, the Board of Education decided that a school was not needed on the site, but it was not until October 28, 1928, that the land was conveyed to Parks for playground purposes.
     
Mommy Poppins
NYC Playgrounds with Shade: Shady Park Benches and Equipment
JUL 3 2012 BY RAVEN SNOOK
(...)
. Selena says “the playground in Andrews Grove (49th Avenue between 5th Street and Vernon Boulevard in Long Island City, Queens) has to be in the top five.” The photos on the Parks Department’s website totally back her up.
 
Facebook
Friends of Shady Park
‘Shady Park’ (officially Andrews Grove) is a park and playground in Long Island City, New York, damaged by Hurricane Sandy in October 2012. This page is a place to share information and ideas as we work to restore this place beloved in our community.
(Joined Facebook 10/30/2012.—ed.)
 
LICNYC
Shady Park in Long Island City opens for first time since Hurricane Sandy
By amol on December 20, 2012
Andrews Grove, nicknamed Shady Park because of the large trees that once grew there, in Long Island City opened to a gaggle of happy parents and children last Friday for the first time since Hurricane Sandy.
 
The storm took down about six of the park’s giant trees. The massive roots ripped up the concrete, fell on the play equipment and damaged the gate between the 108th Precinct and the park on 49th Avenue by Vernon Boulevard.
   
Queens (NY) Courier
Long Island City park secures funding for Sandy repairs
By Angy Altamirano Friday, April 19th, 2013 11:07 AM EDT
A beloved Long Island City park, nicknamed “Shady Park” for its signature tall trees, will finally regain some of the shade Sandy took away.
 
Working together with the Friends of Shady Park — a group of neighbors advocating for the repair of Andrews Grove Playground – Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer’s office has secured $10,000 in private funding from JetBlue and Warner Bros. to help restore the 2.3-acre park to its original state.
 
Andrews Grove, located on 49th Avenue between Fifth Street and Vernon Boulevard, received significant damage to its play equipment, safety surfaces, fencing and immense trees from Sandy.
     
TimesLedger (Queens, NY)
JUNE 28, 2013 / NEWS / PARKS / LONG ISLAND CITY
LIC’s Andrews Grove finally gets face-lift
By Chris Engelhardt
Several months after the devastation and havoc unleashed by Hurricane Sandy tore up parts of the borough, repair efforts are finally under way to fully restore Andrews Grove in Long Island City.
 
The park, on 49th Avenue between 5th Street and Vernon Boulevard, suffered major damage during Sandy. Playground equipment was destroyed and several large Linden trees, which had given Andrews Grove the nickname “Shady Park,” were knocked over, leaving large pits in the ground and rendering its playground inaccessible.
 
A spokesman for City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer’s (D-Sunnyside) office said repairs started June 17 and work is expected to be completed in a month, depending on weather conditions.