Well by Whitestone Park, under the Whitestone Bridge, was a beautiful expansive grassed area with room for playing ball, letting your dog run around free, Frisbee, etc. It was next door to the Army & missile base remember. Another beautiful wide open green space back then, and even today, was the old World's Fair Park. Nowadays they call it Flushing Meadows-Corona Park correct? I remember as a kid we used to go to the World's Fair with our parents, cousins, friends, etc. That was around 1965 or so. Fabulous time to grow and be a NYC kid back then.

If you think about it, I don't think there's another place within the 5 boros that has the green acreage that Flushing Meadows-Corona Park has. Possibly Central Park in Manhattan. But other that those two, where else do you have that much green space in NYC?