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Col./ Commissioner Mickey Marcus Playground
To Get Facelift |
![[35 Star Flag]](../gif/civil3.jpg) |
The Oct. 22, 2003 ceremonial groundbreaking for the reconstruction of
Col. David Marcus Playground, named for U.S. and Israeli military hero
who headed NYC DOC under Mayor LaGuardia.
[Original NYC Parks & Recreation photos by Malcolm Pinckney.] | On Oct. 22, 2003, New York City Department of Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe, Departments of Correction and Probation Commissioner Martin Horn and City Council Member Simcha Felder joined representatives
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From left, City Councilman Simcha Felder, New York City Department of Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe and NYC Departments of Correction and Probation Commissioner Martin Horn perform ceremonial groundbreaking. |
from Community Board 12 and the Kings County Jewish War Veterans, Post 129, along with 4th and 5th graders from P.S. 177 to break ground for the reconstruction of Col. David Marcus Playground.
Marcus, who had served as Correction's First Deputy Commissioner and then Commissioner under Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia, later became a U.S. and Israeli military hero.
The Parks and Recreation Department said:
"The $1 million renovation of Col. David Marcus Playground will revitalize the popular Midwood play space. Children will enjoy new play equipment and swings, complete with safety surfacing. A spray shower will provide hours of fun on hot days and the entire community will enjoy the new benches and landscaped areas. The City Council allocated the funding for this project."
In an advisory alerting news media to the groundbreaking ceremonies, the parks agency provided the following background information:
 | New York City Department of Parks & Recreation Brooklyn Borough Commissioner Julius Spiegel, left, watches as Bernard Rothenberg of the Kings County Jewish War Veterans, Post 129, (wearing JWV cap) and other members of the community break ground at Col. David Marcus Playground. |
"In 1948, this playground was dedicated to the memory of Colonel David 'Mickey' Marcus. A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and Brooklyn Law School, Colonel Marcus worked as a junior attorney for the Treasury Department, an assistant U.S. attorney and Commissioner of the NYC Department of Correction. After the outbreak of World War II, Colonel Marcus was activated into the Army and participated in the D-Day invasion of Normandy for which he was awarded several distinguished citations.
"After the war, the United Nations voted to create the independent state of Israel and Israeli officials requested that Colonel Marcus assist them to prepare a modern army. Serving as Supreme Commander of the Israeli forces along the Jerusalem front, Colonel Marcus was killed on June 10, 1948 by friendly fire, a mere six hours before the first truce between Israelis and Arabs was to have gone into effect. Colonel Marcus was laid to rest at West Point. A bronze plaque was dedicated to him during the renaming ceremony of this playground in 1948."
Go to Rededication of the Mickey Marcus Playground in Brooklyn
Go to American Veterans of Israel Honor Colonel/Commissioner Marcus at West Point
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