Leif Ericson Park

Leif Ericson Park, located in Brooklyn, New York, is a 21-acre green space that offers a variety of recreational facilities and amenities for visitors. The park, named after the Norse explorer Leif Ericson, was officially dedicated in 1925 to honor the large local Norwegian community in the area.

The park's design, initially planned by Parks Commissioner Robert Moses in 1934-35, incorporates several Norse-themed decorations, including troll statues and columns decorated to resemble the turrets of the famous stave church of Borgund, Norway. In 1939, Crown Prince Olav of Norway, later King Olav V, dedicated a monument to Leif Ericson at the Fourth Avenue entrance to the park, featuring two bronze, rune-stone-shaped relief tablets mounted on granite.

In 2009, the park underwent a redesign that further emphasized its namesake, incorporating Viking ship-themed play equipment. The following year, a section of the park known as the "dust bowl" was transformed into a multi-purpose synthetic turf field, complete with misting stations and recreational lights. This area was renamed Quaker Parrot Park at the Dustbowl, in honor of the Argentine birds that had established colonies throughout Brooklyn in the preceding decades.

Leif Ericson Park provides a range of facilities for various activities, including sports, recreation, and relaxation. The park's layout closely resembles its original 1930s vision, with some modifications to accommodate changing community needs and preferences over time.