NYC PARKS AND BROOKLYN TENNIS COMMUNITY CELEBRATE ADDITION OF NEW COURT LIGHTING AT MCCARREN PARK FOLLOWING GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGN

New LED lighting extends evening court hours following $300K grassroots fundraising campaign with major support from USTA National & Eastern Section, adding equivalent of one month of extra playable time per year

Yesterday, NYC Parks Commissioner Tricia Shimamura joined McCarren Tennis Association Corp. (MTAC) Executive Director Bart Javier, United States Tennis Association's Eastern Section President Ari Roberts, New York City Council Member Lincoln Restler, and members of the community to celebrate the installation of brand-new lighting at the McCarren Park public tennis courts in Brooklyn. The new lighting was funded by a community-led initiative by the McCarren tennis community and executed via Parks' Adopt-A-Park program.

The project has installed eight new state-of-the-art LED light poles, bringing light to courts that previously had none and completing full illumination of the seven-court tennis complex at one of Brooklyn's busiest public tennis destinations. By enabling New Yorkers to play tennis on the courts into the evening, the new lighting adds the equivalent of one full month of playing time per year.

The opening caps a two-year grassroots "Light Up McCarren" campaign led and funded by the community, with major backing from the USTA Eastern Section and USTA National. MTAC raised $300,000 through its annual community ladders, social events, merchandise sales, individual donations, and local business partnerships, along with two reimbursable funding grants awarded in 2026 by USTA National & Eastern, who were among the project's largest supporters. The campaign's funds paid for the entire project, including the design, engineering, and permitting, as well as the eight new light poles, energy-efficient LED fixtures, and the electrical infrastructure and lighting controls. NYC Parks enabled and approved the work through Parks' Adopt-A-Park program, which allows community organizations to fund and deliver permanent improvements on public parkland.

New Yorkers can play on these and other public tennis courts throughout the city by obtaining an affordable city tennis permit. In addition to extra playing time, the new evening hours at McCarren Park also allow MTAC to extend their free-to-all community programming, including free tennis clinics and lessons for children and seniors, open community play, and the annual ladders whose entry fees are earmarked for court improvements and maintenance.

"Expanding the playable hours for tennis at McCarren Park makes it easier for New Yorkers to take advantage of all that our public spaces have to offer. With the equivalent of one whole month of extra playing time per year thanks to these lights, they now have even more time to play and connect with their neighbors," said NYC Parks Commissioner Tricia Shimamura. "New Yorkers come to our parks and sports facilities not just to work up a sweat, but also to find community. This neighborhood initiative for a fully illuminated tennis court complex here in McCarren Park is a perfect example of how the bonds formed at our parks can transform our city for the better, and we're proud to have brought this to life via our Adopt-A-Park program."

"We are proud to continue the McCarren tennis community's tradition of public-space advocacy, which began in 2010 with the 'Court Re-Fresh' partnership between NYC Parks and the USTA. Sixteen years later, that same collaboration is creating additional recreation time donated to the general public - grassroots community building through Tennis as a vehicle for public health and wellness," said MTAC Executive Director Bart Javier, a 30-year Williamsburg resident.

"We have been so inspired watching the grassroots campaign to 'Light Up McCarren' over the last two years," said USTA Eastern CEO and Executive Director Amber Marino. "This initiative is very much at the heart of our work: Improving court infrastructure and enhancing public spaces so that we can expand access to the sport. We are beyond proud to support this community-led effort with a facility grant, and we look forward to seeing New Yorkers safely hit the McCarren Park tennis courts in the evening hours as a result."

"Light Up McCarren" was conceived, funded, and permitted well before the City's June 2026 initiative extending evening field lighting across the five boroughs, and it advances the same goals of affordable, accessible, and safe evening recreation. The McCarren tennis courts have operated until 11 p.m. for years under their four existing lights - the completed project now brings full illumination to all seven courts during those same evening hours, matching the citywide initiative's 11 p.m. schedule. At McCarren Park, the community got there on its own and is excited to share the fruits of its efforts with the broader public.

The celebration featured community tennis programming for kids and adults, first serve under the lights, and family friendly activities throughout the courts.

About the McCarren Tennis Association

The McCarren Tennis Association Corp. (MTAC) is a Brooklyn-based, 100% volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit. MTAC advocates for public tennis court spaces to be free and open to all, or available for nothing more than the cost of a city permit. Since 2010, MTAC has partnered with NYC Parks as stewards of the courts through community programming, its annual community ladders of more than 500 players, volunteer initiatives, advocacy, and capital improvement projects. Funds raised through MTAC's programs and events support annual court improvements, maintenance, and free tennis programming for children and seniors.