b r o o k l y n c i t y Bedford-Stuyvesant, Stuyvesant Heights, c o u n c i l 2009 d i s t r i c t 36 Crown Heights North, Clinton Hill

Parks are an essential city service. They are the barometers of our city. From Flatbush to Flushing and Morrisania to Midtown, parks are the front and backyards of all New Yorkers. Well-maintained and designed parks offer recreation and solace, improve property values, reduce crime, and contribute to healthy communities.

s h o w c a s e : Herbert Von King Park The 2008 Spotlight on Recreation is a new project of New Yorkers for Parks award-winning Report Card on Parks. This report examines the conditions of athletic felds, courts, and playgrounds in a ran- dom selection of neighborhood parks. Each outdoor recreation feature was inspected on three separate site visits, once each in June, July, and August to show the performance of these specifc features over the course of the Marcy Playground, Bedford-Stuyvesant summer. The playground in Her- bert Von King Park was surveyed The Bloomberg Administration’s physical barriers or crime. As a result, for this project and received a PlaNYC is the first-ever effort to studies show significant increases in score of B, which reflects the sustainably address the many infra- nearby real estate values. Greenways citywide average. Visit www.ny4p. structure needs of New York City, are expanding waterfront access org for more information on the including parks. With targets set for while creating safer routes for cyclists Spotlight on Recreation: A Report stormwater management, air quality and pedestrians, and the new initia- Card on Parks Project. and more, the City is working to tive to reclaim streets for public use update infrastructure for a growing brings fresh vibrancy to the city. population while addressing envi- ronmental concerns. Through ambi- New York City’s population is tious goals to increase access to parks projected to increase by one million and open spaces, New York’s fiscally new residents by 2030, and demand prudent administration affirms that for our 29,000 acres of parkland investing in parks is good business. will only grow. It is imperative that creative efforts to expand our open Park innovations have flourished in spaces continue—but perhaps more recent years. The creation of Hudson importantly, existing parks must be River Park and the revitalization of protected, maintained and adequate- Bryant Park allow access to areas ly funded to best serve current and that were previously off-limits due to future New Yorkers. City Council District Profiles City Council District Profiles Citywide

Citywide Parks by the A New Master Plan for Parks Numbers Significant steps have been made toward PlaNYC’s parks and open space targets, which include ensuring 29,000 that every New Yorker lives within a 10-minute walk Acres of parkland of a park and planting 1 million trees. Important 1,700 projects like the development of regional parks and Parks the “schoolyards-to-playgrounds” initiative, which opens schoolyards after hours to the public, increase 1,000 recreation space, thus resulting in an even greater Playgrounds need for maintenance funds.

2,300 PlaNYC shows the City’s commitment to Greenstreets improving open space and recreation opportunities. 12,000 Now, we must take the next step and create a master Acres of natural areas plan for New York City’s parks, which does not exist today. A master plan would respond to particular 600,000 neighborhood and regional needs and outline how Park trees best to expand the park system to serve current 2 million and future residents. Street trees Any expansion to the parks system requires 14 maintenance funding. Most city parks rely on Miles of beaches public funding, but this is not a predictable source as evidenced by the current economic recession. 800 While spending on park maintenance increased by Athletic felds 50 percent under Mayor Bloomberg between 2003 50 and 2008, a gloomy economic forecast can be expect- Recreation centers ed to result in cuts to the Parks budget in 2009 and beyond. Public-private partnerships will be affected 66 by the recession as well. Innovative funding streams Pools —as well as improved management strategies— can help ensure that the parks system will 6 weather these storms. Top: Breininger Playground, Queens Ice rinks Above: Central Park, Manhattan 22 Historic house museums Historical City Funding for the Parks Department (Adjusted) 1,000 $500 Monuments, sculptures and $400 historical markers d o l l a r s $300 o f

$200 m i l l i o n s $100 in

$0 ’89 ’90 ’91 ’92 ’93 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10*

f i s c a l y e a r *2010 = Projected budget By the Borough: Brooklyn

BROOKLYN Waterfront Reclamation Park Inspection Program Ratings: Parks by the Brooklyn vs. Citywide (Percent rated acceptable) Numbers Brooklyn’s Prospect Park was Frederick Law Brooklyn Citywide Olmsted’s self-declared masterpiece. But until 100% 973 recently, Brooklynites have been sorely lacking in Acres of natural areas recreational opportunities along the waterfront. 90% Thanks to several large waterfront projects new 291 attention has been brought to Brooklyn’s coast. Playgrounds 80% The expansive Brooklyn Bridge Park will offer unprecedented access to the water, and the 172 70% Comfort stations Bloomberg Administration’s rezoning of the 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Greenpoint-Williamsburg waterfront promises The Parks Department conducts 5,000 park inspections annually 852 new recreational opportunities and greenspace. through their internal rating system, the Park Inspection Program. Drinking fountains

Five non-profit partner groups fundraise for 246 Brooklyn parks, in addition to 10 groups that Athletic felds raise money to support parks citywide. 343 Basketball courts 480 Greenstreets 16 Pools

Brooklyn Park Staffing 20 Gardeners & Assistant Gardeners 208 City Parks Workers At left: Herbert Von King Park, Bedford Stuyvesant & Associate Park Above: Lieutenant Joseph Petrosino Park, New Utrecht Service Workers 66 Brooklyn has the lowest percentage of land devoted to parks of the fve boroughs. Park Supervisors Brooklyn Citywide Park acreage 4,481 29,000 30 Recreation Directors & Percent of borough devoted to parks 10% 14% Specialists Brooklyn has the 2nd highest number of residents per acre of parkland of the fve boroughs. 13 Total population 2.5 million 8 million Playground Associates Residents per acre of parkland 550 276 27 Brooklyn has the 3rd lowest tree canopy coverage of the fve boroughs. Parks Enforcement Patrol Tree canopy (trees on public and private land) 21% 24% (PEP) Offcers & Urban Park Rangers Number of street trees per mile of sidewalk 45 41 Fulton Park

00.5 1Miles Fulton Park, Bedford-Stuyvesant brooklyn City Council District 36

From Brooklyn Community Board 3: District Statistics Williamsburg a c r e a g e o f c i t y p a r k s Total district acreage 1,694 We have indicated in our capital Total parkland acreage 61 34 Parks & playgrounds acreage 56 ‘‘ budget the need for renovation Percent City parkland of total district acreage Percent parkland 4% of several parks, some of which 33 Citywide 14% LEE AV AV 41 has already taken place…. The Ranking of City parkland p o p u l a t i o n

UNION acres/resident WILLIAMSBURG ST E Population 149,397 (1=highest, 51=lowest) community would benefit from Population under 18 45,427 more green spaces… The hiring HOPKINS ST1 Percent under 18 30% 43 Acres parkland per 1,000 residents <1 AV VEDERE ST Ranking of City parks & FLUSHING BEL and training of new personnel is W playgrounds acres/child Acres parks & playgrounds per 1,000 children 1 ARSOFF PL 2 5 BUSHWICK KENT AV paramount, as well as replenishing PARK l a n g u a g e a c c e s s CD 36 Citywide

AV AV Most common foreign language spoken at home Spanish Spanish much needed equipment. AV 3 MYRTLE AV 6 Percent of homes speaking this language 10% 18% SKILLMAN ST 4 WILLOUGHBY c i v i c e n g a g e m e n t CD 36 Citywide E AV Statement of Needs for Fiscal Year 2008 7 Registered voters 70% 76%

T AAFFE PL 8 Number general parks-related ’’ 311 calls per 1,000 residents 6 10 Clinton Hill 10 9 Number of parks-related 311 calls for maintenance Parks, playgrounds per 1,000 residents 1 1 11 12 p a r k r e s o u r c e s CD 36 Citywide

and beaches 13 STUYVESANT LEWIS Does not include capital funding allocated to multiple districts or citywide. 1 Charlie’s Place 15 PS 44 Israel Putnam ON AV LEXINGT Playground AV District-specific capital funding, 2004–2009 $5.9 million $4.2 million 2 Stockton Playground Bedford Stuyvesant THR 16 Crispus Attucks Playground AV

3 Marcy Playground OOP p a r k s i n s p e c t i o n p r o g r a m r a t i n g s 17 Hancock Playground 4 Willoughby Playground AV 15 Results of the Parks Department’s internal inspections. 5 Sumner Playground 18 Potomac Playground FY 2004 FY 2008

ST 14 100 19 Decatur Playground GRAND 6 Lewis Playground JAMES AV 20 El Shabazz Playground PUTNAM 80 87% 88% 7 Pulaski Playground MARCY 86% AV P

L 21 Fulton Park 3660 73% 8 Eleanor Roosevelt Playground

AV 40 22 Fulton Park East Playground rated 9 Jesse Owens Playground HALSEY ST cent parks

20 20 “acceptable” 10 Kosciusko Pool 23 Harmony Park 17 r Pe 24 Saint Andrews Playground 18 0 11 Banneker Playground 16 19 CD 36 Citywide 12 Herbert Von King Park 25 Brower Park Q o p e n s p a c e CD 36 Citywide 13 Lafayette Gardens Playground 26 Saint Johns Recreation Center 21 Number of community gardens per 1,000 acres 34 4 14 Hattie Carthan Playground 27 Woods Playground * 22 24 Vacant lot acreage 45 8,512 Percent vacant 3% 4% 23 LEGEND nn DPR community gardens h e a l t h 1/4 Mile nn Other community gardens DEAN ST Number of hospital admissions per 10,000 residents: CD 36 Citywide Council District Border nn DPR beaches Weeksville Asthma 65 31 AV 35 AV nn New York City Department of nn State and federal parkland Diabetes 23 11

Parks and Recreation (DPR) ST MARK'S AV AV * nn City-owned vacant land Y CLASSON AV parks, playgrounds and AD

NOSTRAND 26 e d u c a t i o n CD 36 Citywide Q DPR schoolyards-to- 27 greenstreets ORK 25 playgrounds sites Y Percent fourth graders meeting standards in math 75% 81% DPR natural areas nn SCHENECT NEW Percent fourth graders meeting standards in reading 54% 63% Crown Heights AV

(Schoolyards-to-playgrounds is a citywide PlaNYC initiative A to open schoolyards to the public during afterschool hours.) UTIC ST JOHN'S PL

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AN PL E 94 ST Tools for Action SULLIV Wingate 41 Let your elected officials know how important parks are to you. City Council Member: Albert Vann [email protected]

Brooklyn Community Board 2 (718) 596-5410 LEFFERTS AV MAPLE ST Brooklyn Community Board 3 (718) 622-6601 Brooklyn Community Board 8 (718) 457-5574 40 City of New York 311 or www.nyc.gov State and Federal Representatives www.elections.state.ny.us Prospect Lefferts Gardens 45 New Yorkers for Parks www.ny4p.org Eleanor Roosevelt Playground, Bedford-Stuyvesant

b o a r d c h a i r p h o t o g r a p h y Supporters About New Yorkers d a t a s o u r c e s Catherine Morrison Golden David Silverstein, Manager Altman Foundation for Parks All data is from 2008 unless noted. “Citywide”: Parks by the Numbers - NYC Department of Arthur Ross Foundation Parks and Recreation (DPR); Budget chart - Adopted Budgets, NYC Office of Management and e x e c u t i v e d i r e c t o r District 36 Photographer: New Yorkers for Parks is the only Greenacre Foundation Budget (OMB), FY 1989-2009, Preliminary Budget, OMB, FY 2010. “By the borough”: PIP Ratings, Christian DiPalermo Bill DesJardins independent watchdog for all the By the numbers & Staffing - DPR; Trees -“Trees Count!” Street Tree Census report, 2005-2006, DPR; Henry and Lucy Moses Fund city’s parks, beaches and playgrounds. This page: Population - Census2000; Language access - Infoshare.org; Civic engagement - NYC Board Ben Carlson d i s t r i c t p r o f i l e s s ta f f John N. Blackman, Sr. Foundation The city’s oldest and leading inde- of Elections and NYC Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DOITT), Tim Francis Cheryl Huber, Director Abby R. Mauzé Trust pendent expert on park conditions, FY 2008; Park resources and PIP ratings - DPR: Community Gardens - Council on the Environment of Christine Kaelin NYC; Vacant land - MapPLUTO copyrighted by the New York City Department of Planning, BYTES Alyson Beha The Armand G. Erpf Fund efficiency and funding, New Yorkers Susan McCartney of the BIG APPLE; Health - NYS Department of Health, 2006 via Infoshare.org; Education - NYC and Andrea Marpillero-Colomina The Dana Foundation for Parks has worked for 100 years Laura Napier NYS Departments of Education, 2007-2008, analysis by the Annenberg Foundation. The Rhodebeck Charitable Trust to ensure greener, safer, cleaner g r a p h i c d e s i g n e r Mark Sanders Norman and Rosita Winston parks for all New Yorkers. m a p d a t a Michael Bierman David Silverstein Foundation NYC Parks properties - DPR; State parks - NYS Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation; National parks - National Park Service, 2006; Council District boundaries - BYTES of the Big Apple, DCP, 2005; Schoolyards-to-Playgrounds - DPR. The Future of New York City Parks

With the promise of Fresh Kills Park parks, the money is directed to the City’s in Staten Island and the completion of General Fund. New Yorkers for Parks has regional parks citywide, New York City’s long advocated for City Hall to allow the park system will expand over the coming Parks Department to retain a portion of decades in a manner not seen since the this revenue to offset maintenance costs 1930s. With sound planning and sufficient throughout the system, as is done in other funding, our park system will flourish. cities such as Chicago.

Although the City has an obligation to Property Taxes: Business Improvement fund parks, we have seen that in times of Districts have a long history of funding fiscal crisis, parks suffer. We must ensure park maintenance through tax revenues, that all parks—particularly those that with Bryant Park as the lead example. cannot rely on private funding—receive Friends of Hudson River Park is pursuing adequate public support. this structure. Such arrangements place some of the costs of park maintenance While “friends of” groups and the robust on businesses or residents whose property volunteer program administered through values benefit from a well-maintained park. Partnerships for Parks have a positive im- pact on park maintenance, more dollars are Public-Private Partnerships: More than needed. Park advocates have long debated 30 park-specific non-profits around the how to ensure funding streams outside of city fundraise for specific parks—such as the city budget to maintain our parks in all the Battery Conservancy and the Riverside fiscal climates. The funding mechanisms Park Fund. Groups typically raise money below have been successful in New York for capital projects or ongoing park main- City and elsewhere. Now is the time to tenance; however, this strategy has worked carefully examine these strategies to plan only in high-income areas. for the future. Zoning Bonuses: Developer incentives Concessions: More than $50 million is to improve open space can produce earned annually from concessions such as successful results. In West Chelsea, the food stands and ice skating rinks operated City passed a special zoning amendment on City parkland. Some public-private that allowed developers to build higher in partnerships are allowed to keep a portion exchange for contributing to an ongoing of concession revenues earned in particular maintenance fund to benefit the new parks through unique agreements with public High Line Park. This structure the City. But in the vast majority of should be explored citywide.

New Yorkers for Parks The Arthur Ross Center for Parks and Open Spaces 355 Lexington Avenue, 14th Floor New York, NY 10017

Tel: 212-838-9410 / Fax: 212-371-6048 Top: Madison Square Park, Manhattan Middle: Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Queens www.ny4p.org Above: Vidalia Park, Bronx