b r o o k l y n Canarsie, Flatlands, Georgetown, Marine Park, c i t y Bergen Beach, Mill Basin, Madison, c o u n c i l 2009 d i s t r i c t 46 Sheepshead Bay, Gerritsen Beach

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 : Brigham Park Street-End New Yorkers for Parks’ Com- munity Design Program enables New Yorkers in areas under- served by green space to take ownership of their local parks and open spaces. Neighbor- hood groups engage in a design process to create or renovate parkland, reflecting the unique goals of their own communities. In 2008 New Yorkers for Parks collaborated with the Sheep- shead Bay/ Plumb Beach Civic Sarsfield Playground, Flatlands Association, a local conservancy group, to create a conceptual The Bloomberg Administration’s physical barriers or crime. As a result, plan for a new Brigham Park to PlaNYC is the first-ever effort to studies show significant increases in rehabilitate parkland which is sustainably address the many infra- nearby real estate values. Greenways currently unused. 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 Community Design Program. stormwater management, air quality and pedestrians, and the new initia- 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 Marine Park, Gerritsen Beach 00.5 1Miles

E brooklyn City Council NCK District 46 EASTERN PY AV *

PL * From Brooklyn Community Board 18:VER Wingate MONT AV District Statistics ALE LEFFERTS AV RIVERD A R UK OCKA * a c r e a g e o f c i t y p a r k s 41 Brownsville AV WA Total district acreage 7,299 Y PY New Lots Spring Creek S The large geographic area of our Total parkland acreage 1,325 OP ST *

WINTHR UTIC ERSKINE ST X RD ‘‘ * Percent City parkland Parks & playgrounds acreage 1,169 LENO AV Community Board and its residen- A of total district acreage SHEFFIELD Percent parkland 18% AV

E 46 ST LINDEN BL TLANDS FLA tial neighborhoods are the “home” Rugby BETHEL LO Citywide 14%

E 101 ST AV 40 E 92 ST 6 Ranking of City parkland p o p u l a t i o n to the largest street tree population E 59 ST 42 LOUISIANA AV SNYDER PENNSYL acres/resident Population 163,993 in the Borough. Consequently, we (1=highest, 51=lowest) * E 103 ST AV V Population under 18 40,414 ANIA * NOLANS LA Percent under 18 25% must cope with a Parks Division AV 7 Acres parkland per 1,000 residents 8 CLARENDON RD Canarsie Ranking of City parks & [Forestry] that, year after year, falls E 51 ST playgrounds acres/child Acres parks & playgrounds per 1,000 kids 29 E 100 ST behind in its pruning and dead tree/ NEW * 1 l a n g u a g e a c c e s s CD 46 Citywide

Y ORK 45 R J OCKAWA Most common foreign language spoken at home Russian Spanish stump removal schedules. We are AV AV E 77 ST 5 E 86 ST Percent of homes speaking this language 5% 18% KENIL M Y PY hopeful that additional funds willFlatbush AV WO 4 * R c i v i c e n g a g e m e n t CD 46 Citywide TH PL E 45 ST be allocated to this greatly needed, Registered voters 75% 76% 2 3 PAERDEGA Paerdegat Basin yet poorly funded division. Number general parks-related T AV 9 311 calls per 1,000 residents 18 10 N AV

RALPH Flatlands VIEW Number of parks-related 311 calls for maintenance 7 SEA 8 per 1,000 residents 1 1 J AV Statement of Needs for Fiscal Year 2008 AV 6 K p a r k r e s o u r c e s CD 46 Citywide AV E 26 ST Does not include capital funding allocated to multiple districts or citywide. ’’ 13 PAERDEGAT BASIN District-specific capital funding, 2004–2009 $10.2 million $4.2 million

12 E 73 ST Parks, playgrounds 10 46 14 V 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 HENDRICKSON11 ST AV AV O Bergen Beach Results of the Parks Department’s internal inspections. and beaches Manhattan Terrace P Mill Basin AV AV FY 2004 FY 2008 R FILLMORE 100 1 Curtis Park 11 Power Playground AV 15 MARINE PY 80 E 18 ST E 35 ST 2 Sunners Playground 12 Hickman Playground 89% 88% 86% E 52 ST Marine Park 16 60 3 Fox Playground 13 Bergen Beach Playground 66% 40 17 rated ST 4 Bildersee Playground 14 McGuire Fields cent parks

20 “acceptable” NA

Mill Island r Pe 5 Sledge Playground 15 Monsignor Crawford Field V TIONAL DR AV 0 6 Jacob Joffe Fields 16 Lindower Park CD 46 Citywide 7 Paerdegat Basin Park 17 Hendrick I. Lott House BR 18 E 19 ST AV S O MILL BASIN 8 Canarsie Park 18 Marine Park WN ST JAMAICA BAY o p e n s p a c e CD 46 Citywide

9 Leif Ericson Drive 19 Four Sparrow MarshHO Number of community gardens per 1,000 acres <1 4 E 24 ST 19 MECREST Vacant lot acreage 122 8,512 10 Commodore Eugene S. 20 Floyd Bennett Field AV U Sarsfield Playground 21 Sheepshead Bay Piers Percent vacant 2% 4%

AV

KNAPP ST h e a l t h AV W 48 MILL CREEK Number of hospital admissions per 10,000 residents: CD 46 Citywide LEGEND nn DPR community gardens 20

HARING ST Asthma 17 31 1/2 Mile nn Other community gardens 47 Gerritsen Beach Diabetes 8 11 Council District Border nn DPR beaches AV Y E 11 ST nn New York City Department of nn State and federal parkland HOMECREST Sheepshead Bay FLA e d u c a t i o n CD 46 Citywide Parks and Recreation (DPR) TBUSH nn City-owned vacant land Percent fourth graders meeting standards in math 87% 81% parks, playgrounds and AV greenstreets Q DPR schoolyards-to- LEIF ERICSON DR Percent fourth graders meeting standards in reading 71% 63% AV playgrounds sites nn DPR natural areas 21 Plumb Beach

(Schoolyards-to-playgrounds is a citywide PlaNYC initiative SHEEPSHEADNORFOLK ST BAY SHORE BL to open schoolyards to the public during afterschool hours.) Manhattan Beach BR 13 ST

ALK E

ROCKAWAY INLET

Tools for Action Roxbury Let your elected officials know how important parks are to you.

City Council Member: Lewis A. Fidler [email protected] AV

Brooklyn Community Board 15 (718) 332-3008 8 AV Brooklyn Community Board 18 (718) 241-0422 OCEAN 7 WK AV City of New York 311 or www.nyc.gov 32 AV OCEANSIDE State and Federal Representatives www.elections.state.ny.us 4 AV MARION

New Yorkers for Parks www.ny4p.org BREEZY POINT BL Breezy Point Lenape Playground, Gerritsen Beach

ROCKAWAY BEACH

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 46 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 Mark Sanders 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), Bill DesJardins 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 Tim Francis 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 Christine Kaelin 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 Susan McCartney 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 Laura Napier 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