Athens Square Park

Went here in March for the unveiling of Sophocles statue during the Greek Parade weekend. Nice little park just off a busy street and just a block from the subway. Had some hot chocolate from the cool café across the street while the local dignitaries spouted on. Lots of benches, basketball court and music on select nights.

First impression are of the 3 columns which confirms the area’s very Greek population came together to advocate for, fund, curate, and help operate this park. Its love by the locals is obvious by the high amount of patronage & traffic. Daytimes bring many kids due to its relative safety & attractiveness. Many seats & tables spawn many ourdoor chess games. Many quiet parts of the park offer respite from the urban grind a few feet away. Just 2 blocks from the subway.

Nice park-​provided you don’t go there late at night when the drunks and drug addicts are sleeping on benches. Tonight I witnessed a gang of teenagers beat the daylights out of one of the aggressive drunks. Not pleasant at all. There is garbage everywhere which undermines the the experience overall…

Great option near Astoria Coffee to enjoy your ice cream (or coffee for those weirdos out there) before heading to the 30^th Av stop.

Adorable little square with greek statures, benches, and stone chess boards for the locals. I really wish I played chess so I could partake in this all over the city. It’s a great place to people watch – I brought my coffee and book to a bench and ended up watching the world go by instead. I saw a man talking to his kids with his hand accidentally resting on a statue’s backside for a good five minutes. I tried to get a picture but I couldn’t do it and remain unnoticed. But it WAS hilarious.
About a 1 – 2 blocks from the 30 Ave. subway stop. Also close to Astoria Coffee, another favorite spot.

where else could you hang out and watch law enforcement enter the phone company building across the street that looks like a prison and wire tap your phone-​big brother at work ease dropping on your line, not to mention traffic and repair doing the same thing.

i like coming here from time to time when i want to eat a pastry that i bought from Titan foods… its peaceful, i love the Aristotle and other philosophers statues they have around… it gives it a real «back in time» feel. its peaceful but there are ALWAYS annoying kids kicking soccer balls in the air and you do risk having one fall on your head … (at least in the summer) its super cute little park though.

This park is composed nearly entirely of concrete and there are often kids playing with balls that will, without a doubt, whizz uncomfortably near your head at some point. But it’s a great place to go and sit with your lunch or drink your coffee on Saturday morning if you just wanna be outside and have a place to rest your bum. It’s within easy walking distance of my apartment, so I’m here pretty often and, though it’s typically riddled with litter and pigeons (so pretty much like everywhere in New York), it’s alternately shady and sun-​dappled and there are beautiful trees with birds chirping in them. It’s a place that has grown on me the more I’ve visited — one of those places that’s generally not overcrowded, so you can have a «usual spot,» which feels reassuring in some way. Take it at face value and you’ll probably enjoy your visit.

I prefer huge parks that I can almost get lost in, so this park was a little small for my liking. But it’s a welcome spot in this neighborhood. It’s close to Bakeway (amazing spot for Chai). If it’s not too cold outside, I’ll gladly grab a warm beverage and sit and read in this cozy little locale for a bit.
I love all of the statues. My favorite was the big owl. My friend Brit and I had fun strolling through the park the other day, discovering all the characters inside.
Despite the numerous benches, I would rather have a little bit of grass. However, when I’m in this neighborhood, I’m happy to have a clean, outdoor spot to sit.

This is a great park for kids and activity junkies — basketball courts, jungle gym and flat concrete spaces for kicking a soccer ball around… a nice sunny, open space to enjoy some air. There are steps to sit around and converse, chess tables and benches for those seeking a more reserved type of activity also. It’s a good mix.
I personally am a big fan of any location that has statues that make for funny posing and photo-​ops (see the tickle tickle tickle photo posted)
Took a quick breeze around this park today, it’s too cold (27 degrees) to sit outside, but be sure that I will be back with an iced coffee this spring and summer to get my daily dose of vitamin d.
It didn’t get four or five stars because of the lack of grassy knolls. It’s a must for bare footing it in the summer.

Every neighborhood should have a small park where people can gather for various events and activities. Athens Square Park is just that place for me. This park is right by PS Henry David Thoreau and has a great open space as well as a jungle gym area for kids. The entrance has a statue of Athena donated by the Mayor of Athens and the main courtyard has a few columns as well. There is plenty of room for soccer, basketball and various community sports and a few chess tables on the outskirts along with plenty of benches. There are concerts and events here especially in the summer where neighbors families and friends can hang out and enjoy the festivities. I love the community feel here.
I have always felt safe here. It is close to the 30^th Ave N train stop and there are often police patrolling the area, plenty of foot traffic at all hours of the day and the park shuts down by 9 pm. There is often an ice cream truck right near by and right across the street in various directions a bakery, a pizza shop, 7-​Eleven, a burger joint, a coffee shop and plenty of other options to make a day of it.
Day 20 — «June Challenge: A-​B-​C»

I am firm believer that every neighborhood should have a park like «Athens Square Park». The park has a playground for kids, a couple of basketball courts, a square where soccer is played and plenty of seating for reading or just relaxing in the sun. This small park is a big part of the culture of Astoria. It is not grand like the majestic «Central Park» in Manhattan or «Carl Schurz Park» on the Upper East Side, but an oasis were you can enjoy a small part of a beautiful summer day.
The park is not perfect with manicured gardens, spotless grounds or grand lawns, but it serves this community with a place to relax and enjoy the events of the day. The vast cross section of cultures and ages in Astoria all enjoy this park. This park is a community and the community is part of the park.
Now, for some reason a fence just appeared one sunny day around a good portion of this park. I don’t know the reasons why, but I hope it is only temporary for needed improvements. Since the fence has been in place, it seem like 60 to 70 percent of the park visitors have vanish.
I miss my time chilling here on a sunny day. Please tear down the fence. Athens Square Park is a wonderful local that makes NYC, NYC.
Day 4 — «June Challenge: A-​B-​C!»

Nice little park that I have visited many times, lot of benches here, it’s a good place to bring a book or just get an ice cream and watch the people walk by. Lot of trees here, but wish there was more green areas or bushes, too much concrete.
The conversations can get pretty loud around here especially when the elderly Greek parliament gather in the corner. And a lot of kids running around and playing. It’s a good family place with people from all ages just hanging out and catching up. In the summers the local communities have concerts here, nice to hear live music when you come home from the city, just stay for a while and take a chance to talk to some new people.
Watch out for some crazy kids. One kid came up to me and started hitting me out of the blue, his arms were the size of a couple of noodles so that’s cool, but still, I’ve never had that happen to me before. As I kept walking away from him he kept following me and hitting me.
Not the park’s fault but every other time I come here some people come up and bother me when I’m just trying to read. There’s this elderly woman who comes up and flips my book to see what I’m reading. Personal space, please. Then she starts questioning my choice of reading (not reading a controversial book or anything). She doesn’t stop there, starts giving me advice about life, to watch out for the loose women of Astoria who accordingly to her are turning tricks around the corner. It doesn’t stop there, she tells me to promise I will not drink alcohol, smoke or drink coffee (by the way, while saying this she is holding a cup of coffee in her hand). Thank you lady missing three front teeth for your wise advice.
Again, this doesn’t really have anything to do with the park itself, but often when you just sit here and want to enjoy a good book, Christian missionaries come up and want to talk to you about how close you are to Jesus. I don’t mind people wanting to promote their church or religious organization. But if you say no thanks, not interested, it should end there, instead these groups don’t take the hint and keep asking personal questions about your religious views and implying that there is misfurtone coming for you if you don’t come to church. Really, this doesn’t help your cause.
Back to the park, it’s clean, well maintained, it feels safe, even at night.

If I weren’t within spitting distance of the Athena statue at the front of the park, I would give this place 5 stars. But when you live close enough so that at night, you can hear people literally having convo’s in this park, you can easily come to loathe this park. Speaking of loathing; Dude playing electric guitar in front of previously mentioned Athena statue. LOWER YOUR FUCKING AMP. I’m all for music in public spaces but #1 you play the same fucking song for days on end #2 it sounds like you’re playing directly outside my window. Then when school lets out and all you hear is the sound of 500 kids screaming bloody murder… ugh let me stop.
Ranting and horrible guitar playing aside, it’s a great little playground/​park. While there isn’t any green space, there are plenty of benches, what seems like recently updated playground equipment and a nice basketball court in the back where you could possibly see me practicing my horrible jump shot one day.

I don’t really see much wrong with this small park. It is not central park by any means. But it is a nice little spot in Astoria to sit for a bit. I have seen some homeless here, but they can go to a park too, right?!! I haven’t
noticed any sketchy behavior… yet. So that’s why they get a ⁵⁄₅!
Oh and to comment on someone else’s review. Astoria doesn’t need more trees… they need MORE TRASH CANS!!! Gah! What is wrong with people in this area? There’s garbage EVERYWHERE! I pick up my dog’s poop, but no one can pick up their: cigarettes, chicken bones, paper goods, last night’s dinner remains, tomatoes, cups, etc, etc. When I walk my dog down 31^st Ave there are no garbage cans to be seen from at least crescent to steinway. I see that as a problem!

Nice little park that I’ve had the pleasure of utilizing on a few occasions to sit and chat with a friend and eat a taco from one of the local Mexican eateries nearby. There’s benches, checkered tabletops, shade, and Greek statues — what more can one ask for?
There’s an open area for kids to run around, but it seems mostly a park for folks to sit and chat.
Apparently, one of the main statues was donated by the mayor of Athens to the mayor of NY!

I wish it was dog friendly…
Not the best park in NYC but they do have some entertainment in the summer.

Mixed
Urban
Uses and
I love Athena
But is a poor place to find inner peace.

While the rest of New York City aspires to loftier and loftier public spaces, populated with overpriced sandwich shops and lobster bars, Astoria plugs along with an endearing cluelessness. Athens park is a high example of this ungainly style, which Ive affectionately dubbed guiddo chic or astoria chic. Pillars and fake ruins adorn what is effectively a parking lot.
But… what happens here in the summer is fantastic. The local italian fraternal association trots out a goobah with a keyboard who belts out mediterranean hits. People jam the park and old couples swirl about in guarded steps. Its quite heart-​warming even for a cycnic like me.

This is a very pleasant park in Astoria, where tons of families and older Greek individuals gather and hang out. I’d say you’d be hard pressed to find a seat, but it’s an awesome place for a scooter. It’s a refreshing sight off the NW train.