Herbert Von King Park

<p>Originally called Tompkins Park, Von King Park was founded in 1871 and is one of Brooklyn's very first parks. The park was renamed in 1985 after Herbert Von King (1912-1985), a longstanding and beloved community leader, considered during his time the "Mayor of Bedford-Stuyvesant."</p> <p>Von King Park is a 7.82-acre town square cradled between Greene, Marcy, Lafayette and Tompkins Avenues. Over the years, the park has gone through many changes as the borough changed, from serving as a welcome and lively escape from the urban grind, to a gathering place for unsavory characters, and then back again to a community center and a family, sports and cultural arts magnet.</p> <p>The park's landscaping could use some improvement, but it is a regular hangout for skateboarders, joggers and parents with small children. Other benefits include a nicely manicured baseball field, a small basketball court, two handball courts, two playgrounds and an outdoor amphitheatre. In the center of the park sits the Von King Recreation Center which houses a mini petting zoo (reptiles, birds, turtles, rabbits and other small creatures), a computer center, an after-school center and a friendly and dedicated staff.</p>