Parents Fight to Keep Aviator Sports Complex Open
The sports complex is set to close its doors in April.
The End of an Era
Parents and children alike will need to find a new recreational center starting next month. Longtime and beloved sports complex Aviator, has announced that it will shutter its doors on April 14th.
The facility will close its doors due to its ending contract with the National Park Service, which had been ongoing since 2008.
Psst…Check out Luna Park in Coney Island Celebrates the 2025 Season with Opening Weekend Events
“It is with deep regret that we must inform you that the indoor facility at Aviator Sports and Events Center, which we have operated on behalf of the National Park Service (NPS) since 2008, will be closing on April 14th, when our current contract with the NPS expires. Our hockey, gymnastics, volleyball and other indoor programs will be discontinued on that date,” a statement on their website read.
“Since taking on this project, we have together navigated immense challenges—economic downturns, Hurricane Sandy, government shutdowns, COVID-19, and a migrant camp outside our front door. Through it all, we remained committed to providing a top-tier facility for athletes, families, and the broader community and you all responded in kind and made it possible.”
The announcement came just weeks after New York City Mayor Eric Adams determined the closure of the temporary migrant shelter on the field. Aviator Sports Complex has served as a staple entertainment center for Brooklyn and Queens families for years. The complex offered a variety of recreational activities including gymnastics, volleyball, ice skating, hockey, and more.
“While the indoor facility will close, we recognize the importance of our outdoor activities — golf, the Green Meadows Farm, and rental of outdoor playing fields — to the many people who rely on them,” management told our sister publication Brooklyn Paper. “For that reason, we are currently discussing with the NPS an arrangement that we hope will enable us to keep the outdoor facilities open through the fall of 2025 to ensure scheduled games and programs can continue as planned.”
Advocates Fight for A Chance
The sports complex sits on Floyd Bennet Field, and was often used to host borough events such as Green Meadows Farms, soccer games, and more. Based in south Brooklyn with its large open field, it served as one of the few recreational spaces in the borough. During a March 20th rally to keep the complex open, mayoral candidate and longtime community advocate Curtis Sliwa took the time to highlight the importance and benefits of Aviator.
“NYC needs more recreational space that benefits the health and well-being of the community,” said Sliwa. “I stand with the parents and students who came out today to protect the Aviator Sports and Events Center. If it closes, hundreds of young athletes and families will lose access to affordable, high-quality sports programs. Local schools and leagues would lose a key venue for training and competitions.”
Community members started an online petition, which at the time this article was published, had over seven thousand signatures, hoping to gain the attention of the NPS and local elected officials to have a change of heart.
“We urge the National Park Service and city officials to work together to find a solution that allows Aviator to remain open and continue serving our community,” it read. “Whether through lease renegotiations, zoning discussions, or community partnerships, we need action now to protect this essential space.”
Families alike are hoping the contract can extend so that their children can continue to have a safe and positive outlet to engage in sports and other activities.
“This is our home. The gymnastic center supports my daughter, who is competing in States on Saturday, and my son, who has been in travel hockey for 4 four years,” one user, Heather, commented on the petition. “This is where they get strong, learn to be good teammates and push themselves to new levels.”
It is not clear what will happen to the space once Aviators’s doors are closed.
Psst…Check out Celebrate Eid al-Fitr at Brooklyn Children’s Museum
