Mott Haven Open Space INdex mott haven open space index ❁ iii Table of Contents

2 Part 1: Measuring Neighborhood Open Space 3 Introduction 4 the Open Space Index: An Overview 6 open Space Standards for New York City 8 Part 2: Mott Haven Open Space Index 9 Fieldwork 10 Results 10 Amount of Open Space 12 Access and Distance to Parks 14 environmental Sustainability 15 Park Maintenance 16 Part 3: NYCHA Open Space 17 Public or Private? 18 An Inventory 20 Use 21 Part 4: Recommendations 27 Appendix A: Open Space Index Data Collection 30 Appendix B: NYCHA Use Observations Methods and Results 33 Appendix C: Mott Haven Parks 34 Endnotes ii ✿ New Yorkers for parks Letter from the Executive Director

Parks and open spaces are critical components residents. It should continue with the important of New York City’s dense neighborhoods – work of Partnerships for Parks and the Housing infrastructure as essential as housing, sewer Authority’s tenant associations. Fostering this

lines, and roads. The impact that these spaces stewardship will help catalyze investment in Long Island Sound have on neighborhoods extends far beyond Mott Haven, both through public dollars and their boundaries. potential private fundraising efforts. THE BRONX

The New York City Housing Authority This report offers recommendations to help Mott Haven (NYCHA) acknowledged this essential role accelerate that local advocacy push. They vary when it asked New Yorkers for Parks to from addressing public safety, to improving Hudson River conduct an Open Space Index assessment waterfront access, to capitalizing on nearby of Mott Haven as part of its application for Randall’s Island Park. The report makes a strong MANHATTAN a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban case for capital investments and more robust Development Choice Neighborhoods grant. civic engagement, both in the neighborhood’s QUEENS Our report will arm NYCHA, elected officials, smaller playgrounds and in St. Mary’s Park, a community groups, and local residents with a critical 35-acre park. Finally, we discuss how Upper tool to help prioritize and advocate for future NYCHA open spaces – often overlooked in the Bay open space investments that address some City’s network of green spaces – can more fully BROOKLYN of the community’s most pressing concerns, serve as public amenities for residents of the including public safety and public health. five NYCHA complexes within our study area. Jamaica Bay STATEN ISLAND That advocacy begins with cultivating an While the needs of Mott Haven extend far engaged community of local park and open beyond quality parks, it is to NYCHA’s credit space stewards – in both Parks Department that it recognizes the central role that safe,

and NYCHA properties – which can send a accessible, and well-maintained open space New York Bay Atlantic Ocean resounding message across the community, and plays in building healthy urban neighborhoods. to City and elected officials, that the health We hope that this report treats those spaces – of these spaces lies at the heart of the health and their potential to improve the quality of of Mott Haven itself. life for all Mott Haven residents – with the N 0 2.5 5 10 Miles thoughtful analysis that they deserve. We have already begun to engage the neighbor- hood with a series of meetings with NYCHA Tupper Thomas n The Mott Haven Open Space Index Study Area. Executive Director

mott haven open space index ❁ 1 Part 1: Measuring Neighborhood

O2 ✿ New Yorkers forpen parks Space Introduction We broadened our tool to capture additional details about Mott Haven open spaces, including observing park use and surveying park visitors.

NY4P created the Open Space Index to ensure providing an experience that is not reflected in that open space planning is responsive to the overall neighborhood average. To address unique neighborhood conditions, the city’s questions like these, we modified our tool to ever growing population, and its evolving built provide new layers of information in many environment. Over the course of five studies Index categories. (assessing the Lower East Side, Jackson Heights, East Harlem, East Midtown and the Upper Further, we expanded our data collection East Side), we have refined our data collection methods in Mott Haven to observe park tools as we encounter new landscapes and use and survey park visitors. This valuable contend with each neighborhood’s particular information deepened our understanding open space features. of each space and enhanced the report’s recommendations for the cleaning, greening, Part 1: In our study of the Mott Haven neighborhood and expansion of Mott Haven open space. in the South Bronx, we continue to grapple with more nuanced concepts that underlie We first dealt with the question of how to our seemingly objective standards. Does incorporate NYCHA open spaces into our a Mott Haven resident who lives within a assessment of East Harlem, and we continued 10-minute walk of a park truly have “access” to grapple with this challenge in our study of to that property if her journey is fraught with Mott Haven. These resources are abundant Measuring truck traffic or the threat of street crime? How in the five NYCHA developments in Mott do we account for individual New Yorkers’ Haven, but we wrestled with their public versus experiences in parks when we use a tool that private nature. As we discuss in this report, we treats open spaces as neighborhood-level ultimately excluded NYCHA open spaces from resources? For example, while more than half our aggregate neighborhood inventory. Instead, of the total parkland in Mott Haven is covered we address the particular attributes, uses and in natural, “green” landscape, the playgrounds potential design improvements to NYCHA Neighborhood where children play are predominantly asphalt, open spaces as topics in their own right. St. Mary’s Park in Mott Haven.

Open Space mott haven open space index ❁ 3 The Open Space Index: An Overview NY4P developed the Open Space Index as a tool to guide neighborhood open space planning and help park advocates ensure that future generations will enjoy adequate parkland, greenery, and recreation.

By measuring 15 open space features, the Active Open Space Passive Open Space Their small size limits the services they provide, Index provides a comprehensive picture Active open spaces offer places for recreational Passive open spaces offer places to relax, stroll, yet they are critical amenities for residents with of a neighborhood’s open space resources. sports, exercise, and play. Recognizing the need socialize, and experience the outdoors. Parks limited mobility, such as caretakers with small What follows is an explanation of the broad for a variety of active recreation opportunities, with seating, shade, and peaceful passive children, the elderly, and the infirm. categories of the Index, followed by details the Index contains four sub-categories of active programming are important resources that on the 15 standards. For a full discussion of open space – playgrounds, fields, courts, and support the healthy aging of seniors.1 Passive Neighborhood Parks (one to 20 acres) methods, see Appendix A. recreation centers – each of which is critical open spaces are particularly important to typically offer a broad range of recreational to providing neighborhood residents with people who may be unable to participate in opportunities, allowing park-goers to enjoy adequate opportunities for active play. active recreation but still benefit immensely both active recreation and outdoor relaxation. from being outdoors. The Index measures Neighborhood parks in Mott Haven, such the total amount of passive open space and as People’s Park and Patterson Playground, counts and measures the community gardens contain multiple courts and play areas, as that contribute to this category. well as seating areas and landscaped greenery.

Access and Distance Large Parks (greater than 20 acres) contain The Index’s standards for park access are expansive acreage that allows for a wide variety derived from the PlaNYC goal that every New of active and passive activities, as well as space Yorker should live within a 10-minute walk of for distinctive resources such as lakes, golf a park. We recognize that every resident should courses, natural areas, and greenways. Large have access to a variety of open space options parks provide swaths of uninterrupted green and that living within walking distance of a lawns and natural landscaping, aesthetic pleasant outdoor seating area meets different features in dense cities that can often only be recreational and leisure needs than living near experienced in these vast spaces. a large park with multiple recreational and natural amenities. Thus, we provide access urban Tree Canopy targets for three types of parks: New York City trees provide both aesthetic and environmental benefits to the city. Trees Pocket Parks (less than one acre) usually connect residents to nature and enhance the accommodate one or two features such as park experience with their shade and beauty. a play area, a court, or a passive seating area. They also provide multiple ecological services: St. Mary’s Park.

4 ✿ New Yorkers for parks they remove pollutants from the air, their The Index offers a standard of 70% permeable leaves absorb and store carbon dioxide, they surfacing in parks. As with the other Index cool the air, and the permeable ground in standards, this target does not apply to a single which they grow helps to absorb and manage park, but rather across the full set of parks and stormwater runoff. public open spaces within a neighborhood. In a small park filled with basketball and In 2006, the United States Forest Service handball courts, 70% permeability would completed an analysis of New York City’s tree not be feasible. Yet in natural areas, up to canopy coverage.2 As part of its report, the Forest 100% of the land is permeable, and in a large Service calculated the existing and potential tree park with substantial passive areas, 80-90% canopies for each New York City neighborhood. permeability can be attained. As long as a We use these neighborhood statistics to inform neighborhood has a variety of park sizes and the Index’s tree canopy coverage category (see types, it is possible to reach an overall rate of Appendix A for methods discussion). 70% permeable surface.

Permeable Surfacing Like the urban tree canopy, permeable ground Park Maintenance surfacing enhances the city’s environment and Keeping parks clean and safe is essential to beautifies parkland. There is a qualitative visitors’ comfort and enjoyment. The Parks difference between accompanying a child Inspection Program (PIP), the New York to a playground with lawns, gardens, and City Department of Parks and Recreation’s shade trees and passing an afternoon on a (the Parks Department) method of tracking patch of uninterrupted asphalt. Increased park maintenance, rates parks as “acceptable” permeable surfacing also provides a number or “unacceptable” based upon the condition of environmental benefits including absorbing of specific park features. Each park property storm runoff.3 Asphalt prevents rain from receives ratings in two categories: cleanliness and seeping into the ground; it enters municipal overall maintenance. Cleanliness is determined drains instead. Any gain in permeable surfacing by five factors: litter, broken glass, graffiti, ice, will help to lessen the load carried by New and weeds. Overall maintenance is determined York City’s storm and sewer system, which is by seventeen factors, including an inspection of frequently challenged by heavy storms. benches, fences, sidewalks, and lawns.4 Mott Haven residents in the United We Stand Community Garden.

mott haven open space index ❁ 5 O pen Space Standards for New York City

Amount of Open Space

Active Open Space Passive Open Space Total

Playgrounds Athletic Fields Courts Recreation Active Community Passive Total Places for play, Soccer, football, Basketball, handball, Centers Open Space Gardens Open Space Open Space containing equipment cricket, baseball, volleyball, tennis, and Indoor recreation Total acreage of All GreenThumb Total acreage of lawns, The aggregate acreage such as swings, and hockey fields, bocce courts facilities operated playgrounds, fields, gardens and other esplanades, plazas, of all neighborhood structures for climbing, as well as ice rinks by the Parks Depart- courts and recreation gardens that provide beaches, natural areas, open space including water features, sand ment, and other centers, plus unpro- a clear mechanism for and planted areas, plus all active and passive boxes, or other play indoor facilities with grammed active public involvement community gardens open spaces that features comparable fees and open space and access provide opportunities public access for play, relaxation, and contact with nature

Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard

1 1. 5 5 1 1 1 1. 5 2.5 playground per athletic fields per courts per recreation center per acre of active open community garden per acres of passive open acres of total open space per space per space per 1,250 10,000 10,000 20,000 10,000 children residents residents residents 1,000 residents 1,000 1,000 residents residents residents

6 ✿ New Yorkers for parks Brook Park.

Access and Distance to Parks Environmental Park Maintenance Sustainability

Pocket Parks Neighborhood Large parks Urban Permeable Cleanliness Overall Parks less than Parks Parks larger than Tree Canopy Surfacing Park Inspection Maintenance one acre Parks between 20 acres The layer of trees, Land that can absorb Program rating based Park Inspection one and 20 acres leaves, branches, and water, including tree on the presence of Program rating stems that cover the pits, natural areas, litter, glass, graffiti, for overall park ground when viewed community gardens, weeds, and ice maintenance from above natural grass fields, artificial turf fields, and other porous surfaces within parks

Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard

10 0 % 10 0 % 10 0 % 45% 70% 90% 85% of residents live within of residents live within of residents live within potential tree canopy permeable surfacing of park inspections of park inspections a five-minute walk a five-minute walk a 10-minute walk for Mott Haven in parks should be rated should be rated (1/4 mile) (1/4 mile) (1/2 mile) “acceptable” “acceptable”

mott haven open space index ❁ 7 Part 2: Mott Haven

O8 ✿ New Yorkers forpen parks Space Index Fieldwork

E 152 ST E 151 ST E 156 ST methods documentation, and collected additional E 149 ST E 150 ST

Over the summer of 2013, NY4P field information on components of the park- E 146 ST E 155 ST E 144 ST surveyors walked every block of the study going experience such as park benches, WESTCHESTER AV area. They counted all courts, athletic fields, drinking fountains and trash receptacles. PATTERSON PLAYGROUND E 152 ST

COURTLANDT AV

GRAND CONCOURSE E 142 ST playgrounds, and recreation centers. In A full explanation of our data collection E 141 ST WALTON AV

addition, they used a measuring wheel to methodology can be found in Appendix A. E 148 ST PATTERSON EAGLE AV

PARK AV HOUSES CAULDWELL AV measure the total amount of active, passive, A comprehensive list of Parks Department E 147 ST E 150 ST CANAL PL E 140RIDER ST AV CLARK PLAYGROUND E 145 ST FOX ST and permeable public open space in the properties is in Appendix C. E 146 ST 3 AV E 143 ST PROSPECT AV ST ANN'S AV UNION AV neighborhood. Surveyors supplemented their TINTON AV

MORRIS AV PARK AV MOTT HAVEN BETANCES measurements with site drawings and photo This detailed fieldwork allows us to HOUSES E 144 ST HOUSES reconcile public information with actual CONCORD AV CANAL ST W ST MARY’S PARK E 137 ST WALES AV neighborhood conditions. This is a critical WILLIS PARK E 136 ST E 142 ST SOUTHERN BL MAJOR DEEGAN EP TIMPSON PL mott haven surveying component of accurately measuring public ALEXANDER AV E 140 ST stats stats BROOK PARK open space, particularly in a neighborhood AUSTIN PL PEOPLE’S PARK E 144 ST 5 Total population Number of surveyors with community gardens and open spaces MITCHEL HOUSES CRIMMINS AV 3 AV BR SAW MILL PLAYGROUND

BEEKMAN AV managed under the jurisdiction of a number E 139 ST 46,332 2 CYPRESS AV 3 AV BR LOZADA PLAYGROUND POWERS AV of organizations. E 134 ST E 138 ST 6 E 136 ST Children under 18 Survey schedule LINCOLN AV E 137 ST RANAQUA PLAYGROUND 14,153 July to In addition to collecting physical measure- JACKSON AV E 135 ST E 140 ST

WILLIS AV MAJOR DEEGAN EP Seniors 65+ 7 September ments, surveyors conducted systematic PULASKIE 132 ST PARK MILL BROOK HOUSES 4,409 2013 observations of playground use, and spoke E 141 ST with park-goers throughout Mott Haven. This WILLIS AV WILLIS AV BROWN PL E 133 ST E 140 ST MILL BROOK PLAYGROUND E 138 ST Total acres Blocks walked additional component of fieldwork helped us BROOK AV E 137 ST E 132 ST PLAYGROUND 134 443 More than refine our understanding of neighborhood ST ANN'S AV E 136 ST 230 open space conditions and has informed our WALNUT AV

WILLOWE 135 AV ST N 0 500 1,000 Feet E 134 ST LOCUSTE 138 ST AV recommendations. E 133 ST

n Mott Haven n Parks and Community Gardens n NYCHA Properties

The Mott Haven Open Space Index study area boundary corresponds to NYCHA’s Choice Neighborhood Initiative catchment area.

mott haven open space index ❁ 9 Results: Amount of Open Space

There is not enough open space in Mott Haven to accommodate the needs of the neighborhood.

Mott Haven exceeds or approaches open space 1.3 acres. With over 46,000 residents in the Opportunities for new open space will come plantings, space for community events, and standards for most active open space features; neighborhood, there are more residents than from reclaiming streetscapes and expanding a concessionaire managed by the South parks contain play equipment, basketball can be adequately accommodated by existing access to the nearby waterfront. For example, Bronx Overall Economic Development and handball courts, adult fitness equipment, active open spaces. The same is true for the the neighborhood will benefit from new Corporation (SoBRO). Other opportunities baseball fields, and grassy areas to play soccer. amount of passive and total open space. The passive open space at a Department of for neighborhood open space expansion exist neighborhood’s many community gardens are Transportation plaza set to break ground at both within and beyond the study area, in However, these recreational facilities are often small spaces that in aggregate account for just 3rd Avenue and 149th Street. The space will be particular along the waterfront, which we located in small parks. The average Mott Haven 2.48 acres of land. reconfigured with benches, moveable seating, discuss on page 26. park (excluding St. Mary’s Park) measures only

Active Open Space n OSI Standard n Result Passive Open Space Total Open Space Active Playgrounds Athletic Fields Courts Recreation Community Passive Open Space Centers Gardens Open SpacE

Result Result Result Result Result Result Result Result .32 1. 06 2 .16 11. 76 .86 1.73 .80 1.10 acre per playgrounds per athletic fields per courts per recreation center per community gardens per acre per acres per 1,000 residents 1,250 children 10,000 residents 10,000 residents 20,000 residents 10,000 residents 1,000 residents 1,000 residents Fails to meet standard Exceeds standard Exceeds standard Exceeds standard Fails to meet standard Exceeds standard Fails to meet standard Fails to meet standard

Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard

1 1 1. 5 5 1 1 1. 5 2.5 acre of active open space playground per athletic fields per courts per recreation center per community garden per acres of passive open acres per 1,000 per 1,000 residents 1,250 children 10,000 residents 10,000 residents 20,000 residents 10,000 residents space per 1,000 residents residents

10 ✿ New Yorkers for parks Focus on Community Gardens

Mott Haven is rich in community gardens. Among them, there are spaces for urban agriculture, youth programming, and quiet, planted spaces that appeal to seniors.

The public nature of these spaces varies greatly. After a community design process, the New Not all gardens abide by the GreenThumb York Restoration Project-sponsored Willis requirements for public access.8 We observed Avenue Community Garden is undergoing Mott Haven gardens that were functionally a refurbishment that will bring a number of privatized as club space, but we also saw many improvements to the space. A casita will support examples of how gardens can serve as community cooking in a newly refurbished kitchen. The resources, offering space for community activities garden will also contain a composting toilet, in addition to their aesthetic and environmental as well as raised-bed garden plots, and an benefits.W e have highlighted some of Mott ornamental butterfly garden.T his multi-use Haven’s most successful gardens here. design will accommodate a variety of activities.

Padre Plaza Success Garden on St. Ann’s Brook Park is a large garden that offers a broad Avenue and 139th Street is the site of a weekly array of programs for neighborhood children farmers’ market. Community organizations and and adults. The garden is home to vegetable city agencies regularly set up tables along the and flower gardens, an active chicken coop, garden’s perimeter, offering services such as beehives, and regular exhibitions of local art, Wanaqua Avenue Garden. health screenings and workforce information. music, and dance. The Friends of Brook Park is Dedicated youth gardeners grow food in a community-based environmental organization the garden’s raised beds. After the garden that oversees activities in the garden. In addition was battered by Hurricane Sandy, gardeners to its work in the garden, the group engages came together to clean and rebuild the in environmental justice advocacy throughout space, celebrating with a community festival the neighborhood. It received a “Greening the in June 2013. Bronx” grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority that Beginning in 2010, GrowNYC has been working funded the planting and maintenance of 47 street in Wanaqua Family Garden, supporting trees throughout the neighborhood, and is an youth gardening and environmental education. active member in the Harlem River Working A recent garden rehabilitation included a Group, which advocates for community access new casita with a green roof that captures to the Harlem River. rain water for use in the garden. The garden plays host to community activities such as GreenThumb workshops and a fall Willis Avenue Garden. harvest festival.

mott haven open space index ❁ 11 Results: Access and Distance to Parks

Mott Haven fails to achieve the standards residents live within reasonable walking methods). The method does not, however, take intersection in the Bronx for pedestrians.9 that call for 100% of residents to live within distance of St. Mary’s, the neighborhood’s into account the conditions of those streets According to TA’s Crash Tracker, 11 pedestrian reasonable walking distance of a pocket, only large park, and residents’ primary and roads. Neighborhood residents and local and bicycle fatalities occurred there from neighborhood, and large park. However, 96% location to experience greenery, varied advocates have pointed to a major impediment 1995 to 2009. South Bronx Unite has held of neighborhood residents have access to at topography, and natural landscape features. to pedestrian travel in Mott Haven: traffic safety. public rallies to call attention to concerns for least one type of park, and nearly one-quarter The Hub, the busy commercial and transit street safety – both the safety of pedestrians of neighborhood residents have access to all street safety intersection of 3rd Avenue and 149th Street at busy crossings along 138th Street, and the three types of parks. While it is encouraging Our method for calculating walking distance on the northern edge of the neighborhood is of safety of all residents living in proximity to that nearly all residents have access to some accounts for the time it takes for residents to particular concern. According to Transportation heavily-trafficked trucking routes that ring and type of open space, only half of Mott Haven traverse streets and roads (see Appendix A for Alternatives (TA), it is the third most dangerous sometimes traverse the neighborhood.10

n OSI Standard n Result

Pocket Parks Neighborhood Large parks pocket parks Parks

Result Result Result 68% 68% 50% 68% of residents live within a of residents live within a of residents live within a of residents live within five-minute walk five-minute walk 10-minute walk a five-minute walk Fails to meet standard Fails to meet standard Fails to meet standard n Mott Haven n Parks and Gardens n NYCHA Buildings

Percent of census block within a five-minute walk to a pocket park n 0--20% Standard Standard Standard n 20.1--40% n 40.1--60% 10 0 % 10 0 % 10 0 % n 60.1--80% of residents live within a of residents live within a of residents live within a n 80.1--100% N 0 500 1,000 Feet five-minute walk five-minute walk 10-minute walk

12 ✿ New Yorkers for parks 138th Street is a busy commercial thoroughfare and the focus of pedestrian safety activists. Street furniture can help to create comfortable passageways to parks.

Neighborhood large parks Parks

68% 50% of residents live within of residents live within a five-minute walk a 10-minute walk

n Mott Haven n Mott Haven n Parks and Gardens n Parks and Gardens n NYCHA Buildings n NYCHA Buildings

Percent of census block Percent of census block within a five-minute walk within a 10-minute walk to a neighborhood park to a large park n 0--20% n 0--20% n 20.1--40% n 20.1--40% n 40.1--60% n 40.1--60% n 60.1--80% n 60.1--80%

n 80.1--100% N 0 500 1,000 Feet n 80.1--100% N 0 500 1,000 Feet

mott haven open space index ❁ 13 Results: Environmental Sustainability

The tree canopy in Mott Haven is sparse, and most playgrounds are dominated by asphalt.

Urban Tree Canopy Permeable Surfacing There is a large disparity between the current that could support trees, from private lawns The aggregate neighborhood permeability lawns, trees, and decorative plantings. It is this tree canopy coverage – 11% – and the estimated to community gardens, were planted. Planting result – 60% – overstates the quality of the natural landscape that makes St. Mary’s such a 45% coverage that the Mott Haven landscape in all physically viable spaces is not necessarily park-going experience for visitors to Mott treasured respite among residents. In comparison, could support. The “potential urban tree feasible or desirable. However, the numbers Haven’s small playgrounds. St. Mary’s Park Mott Haven’s smaller parks are, on average, canopy” is a measure of tree cover that the provide a portrait of a neighborhood with comprises nearly 70% of the total parkland in only 26% permeable. In other words, these neighborhood could support if all the land great opportunity for growing the existing the neighborhood, and approximately 75% of are primarily hard, gray asphalt spaces that lack amount of greening. the park’s 35 acres are covered in natural areas, natural elements.

n OSI Standard n Result

Urban Tree Permeablity– Permeablity– Canopy including excluding St. Mary’s Park St. Mary’s Park

Result Result Result 11 % 60% 26% existing tree canopy permeable surfacing permeable surfacing coverage in parks in parks Fails to meet standard Fails to meet standard Fails to meet standard

Standard Standard Standard

45% 70% 70% potential tree canopy permeable surfacing permeable surfacing for Mott Haven in parks in parks

141st Street in front of Brook Park. People’s Park. 14 ✿ New Yorkers for parks Results: Park Maintenance

Mott Haven parks failed to meet the City’s standards for overall maintenance and cleanliness.

St. Mary’s Park earned an acceptable rating for Mott Haven, nine had at least one overall playgrounds citywide. In 2010 and 2012, New elsewhere in the neighborhood, which makes only 59% of general maintenance inspections unacceptable rating, and eight had at least Yorkers for Parks used its Report Card on Parks its poor maintenance a particularly troubling and 75% of cleanliness inspections, bringing one unacceptable cleanliness rating. tool to assess large parks across the city. We problem. Mott Haven residents deserve well- down the neighborhood average. However, found that St. Mary’s Park, like many large maintained parks, and a cleaner St. Mary’s even if we exclude St. Mary’s, the neighborhood The Parks Department has identified large parks, is true to that trend. St. Mary’s is the would serve the greatest number of residents. parks still fall short of Index standards. Of parks as maintenance challenges, and they only large park in the South Bronx, and offers the 12 pocket and neighborhood parks in consistently underperform smaller parks and recreation and leisure activities unavailable

n OSI Standard n Result

Cleanliness Overall Maintenance

Result Result Cleanliness 80% 71% of “cleanliness” inspections of “overall maintenance” acceptable inspections acceptable Fails to meet standard Fails to meet standard 90% 80% 83% 75% Standard All Mott Without St. Mary’s Haven Parks St. Mary’s Only

Overall Maintenance

Standard Standard

90% 85% 85% 71% 78% 59% of park inspections should of park inspections should Standard All Mott Without St. Mary’s be rated “acceptable” be rated “acceptable” Haven Parks St. Mary’s Only

People’s Park. People’s Park. mott haven open space index ❁ 15 Part 3: NYCHA

O16 ✿ New Yorkers forpen parks Space NYCHA Open Space: Public or Private?

The Open Space Index is intended to be a with restricted access, such as fenced daycare portrait of neighborhood resources available center playgrounds, and spaces that were to the public. From our first Open Space Index intended for ornamental use such as lawns, assessment on the Lower East Side, NY4P which may produce public benefits such as has grappled with how to classify the public stormwater management, tree canopy coverage, nature of open space on NYCHA property. and aesthetic beauty, but do not accommodate From the many vast but inaccessible grassy physical use by the public. lawns to small playgrounds tucked between buildings to basketball courts fronting busy In 2012, we continued the practice of measuring public streets, these spaces have been difficult discrete NYCHA play spaces in our study of to categorize as entirely public or private. open space on Manhattan’s East Side. The East Side study area abounded with “privately When NY4P conducted our first survey on the owned public spaces”– small plazas whose Lower East Side of Manhattan, we excluded management is overseen by private property NYCHA open spaces from the calculation of owners for use by the public. Conversely, we neighborhood resources, arguing that they might think of open spaces on Mott Haven “…are not always accessible from outside of NYCHA property as “publicly owned private the housing complex,” and thus semi-private space” – land under the jurisdiction of a public in nature.11 authority, but inhabited by private individuals who live their daily lives and encounter their In 2011, NY4P partnered with researchers neighbors on their apartment campuses, akin at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine to residents of a privately managed apartment to investigate the relationship between building with a common courtyard. playground use and health among a cohort of children growing up in East Harlem. To In the current study, we have classified explore this question, we examined the range NYCHA open spaces as private resources that A grassy lawn on NYCHA property in Mott Haven is fenced in and inaccessible. of play spaces available to children in the study serve residents of each development. We based area, over one third of whom lived in NYCHA this decision on staff observations of the use developments. We included certain features of each space and discussions with residents of NYCHA open space in our neighborhood and NYCHA property managers. inventory, measuring community gardens, courts, and play structures. We excluded spaces

mott haven open space index ❁ 17 E 152 ST NYCHA Open Space: An InventoryE 151 ST E 146 ST E 156 ST RAE ST Mott Haven is the focus of a neighborhood-level planning initiative led byE 149NYCHA ST to improveE 150 ST housing, BERGEN AV employment, health, safety, and quality of life for residents of the Betances Houses and the surrounding community. BROOK AV E 146 ST MELROSE AV GERARD AV E 155 ST E 144 ST By and large, NYCHA campuses are E 152 ST predominately passive in nature. In many, PATTERSON much of the open space is set behind locked HOUSES fences and closed to both NYCHA residents E 148 ST

and the general public. Within the five E 3RD AV EAGLE AV

E 147 ST TRINITY AV MADISON AV BR CAULDWELL AV NYCHA developments in Mott Haven, the PARK AV

CANAL PL E 150 ST most common features that are accessible to RIDER AV

'S AV

NN A

ST people are playgrounds and seating areas. Each FOX ST E 145 ST PROSPECT AV development has multiple play areas and at least 3 AV UNION AV TINTON AV one basketball court. Playgrounds typically BETANCES MORRIS AV E 144 ST HOUSES have little landscaping or permeable surfacing.PARK AV

E 143 ST MOTT CONCORD AV HAVEN The five developments vary in configuration. HOUSES E 142 ST WALES AV In some the playgrounds, sitting areas, and SOUTHERN BL courts are located in clusters that draw people E 141 ST

TIMPSON PL of varying ages and interests. In others, they ALEXANDER AV are dispersed throughout the campus and E 140 ST AUSTIN PL isolated from one another. Patterson Houses MITCHEL E 139 ST HOUSES is home to two vibrant community gardens – CRIMMINS AV Rainforest Garden and McKay-Rodriguez3 AV BR E 138 ST BEEKMAN AV

Sunrise Garden. E 135 ST CYPRESS AV

3 AV BR E 137 ST POWERS AV

E 134 ST JACKSON AV E 136 ST

ALEXANDER AV n Mott Haven WILLIS AV n NYCHA Open Space MAJOR DEEGAN EP MILL BROOK HOUSES n NYCHA land n NYCHA buildings E 141 ST n Parks and Community Gardens N 0 500 1,000 Feet

BROWN PL E 140 ST The Mott Haven Open Space Index neighborhood BROOK AV boundary corresponds to NYCHA’s Choice Neighborhood Initiative catchment area.

18 ✿ New Yorkers for parks E 132 ST E 133 ST E 136 ST WALNUT AV E 137 ST

WILLOW AV E 135 ST LOCUST AV E 134 ST E 138 ST E 133 ST E 136 ST Betances Houses Mill Brook Houses Mitchel Houses Mott Haven Houses Patterson Houses

Residents* Residents* Residents* Residents* Residents* 2,720 3,259 4,055 2,498 4,369 Children under 18* Children under 18* Children under 18* Children under 18* Children under 18* 875 985 1,350 850 1,331 Amount of Open Space Amount of Open Space Amount of Open Space Amount of Open Space Amount of Open Space Total acres Total acres Total acres Total acres Total acres 2.83 acres 1.32 acres 1.62 acres 2.18 acres 1.11 acres % Active Space % Active Space % Active Space % Active Space % Active Space 21% 39% 17% 29% 51% % Permeable % Permeable % Permeable % Permeable % Permeable 20% 31% 35% 23% 29% Open Space Features Open Space Features Open Space Features Open Space Features Open Space Features Play areas Play areas Play areas Play areas Play areas 10 5 5 4 6 Basketball courts Basketball courts Basketball courts Basketball courts Basketball courts 0.5 2 1 2 2 Athletic fields Athletic fields Athletic fields Athletic fields Athletic fields 0 0 0 0 0 Community gardens Community gardens Community gardens Community gardens Community gardens 0 0 0 0 2 Other Amenities Other Amenities Other Amenities Other Amenities Other Amenities Seating accommodates Seating accommodates Seating accommodates Seating accommodates Seating accommodates 527 357 369 431 443

*Population data from NYCHA and Local Initiatives Support Corporation mott haven open space index ❁ 19 NYCHA Open Space: Use

13 methods public space. The gender imbalance and the Surveyors observed use in NYCHA open spaces lack of play – notable given the proliferation on weekdays and weekend days, and across of play spaces across all developments – raise a times of day from morning to early evening. number of questions. Do residents avoid play Using a modified version of the park use because nearby City parks offer a larger variety assessment tool SOPARC, surveyors divided of activities and amenities? Does current play open spaces into discrete “use zones” dictated equipment lack engaging design? Do residents by the dominant feature of the space.12 Within feel unsafe using common open spaces? each zone, surveyors counted the number of users, noting their gender, age group, and the betances houses primary activity in which they were engaged. With the exception of a single play area in the See Appendix B for a discussion of the method Mill Brook Houses, Betances is the only study and resulting use maps. area development in which we observed locked open spaces. Betances, built in the early 1970s observations as a Demonstration Cities project, comprises A number of observations of use held true multiple housing forms including infill housing, across all developments. Playing was never the converted tenement buildings, and high rise most common activity in play areas, but rather developments dispersed over a 10-square block standing and sitting (hanging out) were the area.14 The other developments, dense high rise most frequently observed. We also observed apartment towers on “superblock” campuses, little “unstructured play” – activities that can conform to “tower in the park” design – small occur in any open space without the need for building footprints surrounded by large swaths special equipment, such as skipping, jumping of grass, parking, pathways and seating areas. rope, tossing a baseball, or playing hopscotch. Open spaces in Betances take many forms, We also observed a preponderance of male including interstitial plots of land, interior visitors, with men outnumbering women at least “alleyways” of play equipment and seating, 60:40 in each development. Women, argued sunken plazas, and a pedestrian through street. urban theorist William H. Whyte, are more The isolated nature of the Betances open spaces A basketball court at the Mitchel Houses in use. likely to leave a place when uncomfortable and make them difficult to manage and program. are quicker to perceive public disorder, making Our surveyors found 10 out of 15 of them NYCHA management cites security concerns – the equal presence of women a barometer of locked on at least one occasion, and five out of from both staff and residents – as the impetus the perceived safety and welcoming nature of a 15 locked at the time of all nine survey periods. for locking the spaces.

20 ✿ New Yorkers for parks Part 4:

Recommendationsmott haven open space index ❁ 21 Recommendations

Address Public Safety Residents suggested additional lighting, security Make Capital Investments Expand Programming Any attempt to improve open spaces in cameras and strategic policing as techniques in Aging Playgrounds in Parks & Gardens Mott Haven must first consider safety that might increase a sense of security in open The playgrounds of Mott Haven have seen Expanded programming – whether it is in concerns. While the crime rate in Mott spaces and reduce the number of crimes. little refurbishment over the past few decades, the form of a weekly market, aerobics class, Haven has improved substantially since the However, a discussion about neighborhood and their equipment is worn and outdated. or health fair – adds vibrancy to any space. As height of the crack epidemic of the 1980s, policing should happen at the community Strategic investments could make these users and program staff visit a space regularly, it remains one of the highest in New York level and is beyond the scope of this report. small but critical spaces more welcoming they begin to take an interest in its upkeep, City. In the course of our outreach, residents and appealing to residents. Local elected and their presence can deter unsavory activity. repeatedly expressed concerns about the Active programming, consistent maintenance, officials and the Parks Department should safety of streets, playgrounds, and parks. and strategic investments in neighborhood engage with the community to prioritize IN PARKS Many said that these concerns reduce their green spaces can foster residents’ sense of improvements to spaces like Saw Mill Park, Shape Up NYC and WalkNYC are free fitness use of the spaces. investment in local spaces and may also help Ranaqua Playground, Playground 134, and programs that the Parks Department provides promote more vibrant parks in which people Pulaski Playground. across the city. In Mott Haven, classes are feel secure and welcome. In one study of what offered at St. Mary’s Recreation Center, the attracts people to parks, researchers found Undertake a Betances Community Center, and Lincoln that “having events at the park, including Neighborhood Hospital, and do not require any registration or sports competitions and other attractions, Greening Initiative memberships. Despite this, many residents we appears to be the strongest correlate of park Introducing greener landscapes into Mott Ha- spoke with during the course of our outreach use,”15 while also promoting physical activity. ven open spaces would enhance the environ- were unaware that these free services were We heard from Mott Haven residents that mental sustainability of the neighborhood19 available to them. These programs could serve there is a particular need for programs that and encourage use of these spaces by making more users by undertaking broader outreach encourage teen and young adult recreation. them more pleasant. NYC’s High Performance efforts and offering options in more local Other researchers note the importance of Design Guidelines20 offer a variety of solutions parks and within NYCHA developments. “the number of part time staff, the number that can improve stormwater management Variations on these programs, like walking of supervised and organized programs, and and beautify Mott Haven playgrounds that paths along sidewalks and through public knowing the park staff”16 to encourage park are currently dominated by asphalt. But con- housing complexes, could also be explored with use. Renovations to physical equipment verting asphalt to greener, more porous sur- local partners such as Lincoln Hospital or the might also increase the use of parks. The faces will require substantial investment. If Department of Health’s District Public Health Young NYCHA residents participate in a community recommendations below call for additional this is a priority among community members, Office. In East Harlem, such a collaboration center planting event in East Harlem. staff, programming, and park enhancements funding must be sought from local elected of- resulted in walking programs through Marcus that may, hand in hand with other security ficials, partners, or grant opportunities. Garvey Park and St. Nicholas Houses. measures, make parks safer and more appealing.

22 ✿ New Yorkers for parks We heard numerous requests for teen and Foster Park Stewardship young adult sports leagues in St. Mary’s Park. Mott Haven residents can become active The Parks Department should work with caretakers of their local parks and open spaces. community partners to expand organized sports Community residents who are involved in the programming for these age groups. The City planning and stewardship of their local parks Parks Foundation hosts concerts in St. Mary’s make a noticeable difference in the quality of Park through its Summer Stage program. These those public spaces. Partnerships for Parks events are very popular and should continue. offers training and technical assistance to community-based park groups and individual IN COMMUNITY GARDENS volunteers. Their Outreach Coordinators help Mott Haven’s eight community gardens can local volunteers become savvy activists. host public services such as community health fairs, cooking demonstrations, or information Cornell University researchers found that while tables for local nonprofits. Current examples few South Bronx residents had been involved of programming include after-school tutoring, in tree planting or stewardship, they desired youth gardening, and canoeing clubs. These additional tree plantings, better tree mainte- gardens can be the site of larger community nance, and expressed a “significant interest in outreach initiatives. learning about all aspects of tree planting and care, as well as the environmental and public 17 IN NYCHA DEVELOPMENTS health benefits of trees.” The free tree care NYCHA’s Garden & Greening Program helps Pulaski Playground is worn and would benefit from greening and refurbishment. workshops offered citywide by MillionTrees beautify public housing campuses while also NYC are opportunities to introduce Mott engaging residents in the care of their open There are many successful programs Houses into vibrant gardens, while encouraging Haven residents to local stewardship. spaces. The 51-year-old program serves over enlivening NYCHA open spaces citywide, children to engage in outdoor physical activity 3,000 gardeners working in over 700 gardens which could be replicated in Mott Haven. and to learn applied lessons in environmental Active open space stewardship may also lead to across the five boroughs. It offers gardeners Concrete Safaris has worked with over and health education. Other programs support additional forms of community engagement. materials, tools, technical assistance, and 3,200 children in East Harlem to turn the active use of NYCHA sidewalks and A 2003 survey of GreenThumb gardeners other support. Partner programs such as the over 15,000 square feet of unused NYCHA pathways. For example, Harlem’s St. Nicholas found that garden members participate in Americorps Green City Force18 help provide open space into gardens, with the children Houses boast a one-mile tree and flower- community groups like block associations, additional support to program staff, but to actively participating as both landscape lined walking path, and pathways through community boards, youth and senior groups, maximize resident engagement in open space designers and gardeners. The nonprofit has the Brownsville Houses in central Brooklyn and faith-based institutions. Encouraging local stewardship and maintenance, the Garden transformed formerly lifeless patches of lawns are lined with banners that promote walking residents to become stewards of their parks & Greening Program must have robust in East Harlem’s Jefferson and Washington and healthy living. and open spaces will benefit the entire Mott organizational capacity. Haven neighborhood.

mott haven open space index ❁ 23 WESTCHESTER AV

E 150 ST

EAGLE AV

TRINITY AV CAULDWELL AV JACKSON AV Revitalize St. Mary’s Park citywide. The park’s score was particularly As the largest park in the South Bronx, St. affected by the poor condition of the pathways, Mary’s Park offers 35 acres of scenic beauty disassembled bleachers lining a ball field, and and a range of recreational amenities. The first many tree stumps and weeds in the lawns and playground and the first indoor recreation natural areas of the park. As we noted earlier E 147 ST E 149 ST

center in the Bronx were both built in St. in this report, St. Mary’s performed below the Basketball Mary’s Park, and today’s park-goers can enjoy City’s standard on the Parks Department’s the following features: own internal assessment of maintenance and Playgrounds cleanliness (PIP) in recent inspections. The City Tennis • Barbecuing areas must recognize the importance of St. Mary’s for • Baseball fields the residents of the South Bronx and commit • Basketball courts more maintenance resources for its upkeep. • Bathrooms E 147 ST • Fitness equipment Some of the park’s maintenance challenges E 144 ST Recreation Playground • Handball courts can be addressed by an active association of Center Playground Track • Playgrounds neighborsplaygrounds and park lovers. Friends-of-parks Basketball • Recreation Center with indoor pool groups across the city, working in conjunction

• Running tracks with the Parks Department and PartnershipsE 143 ST • Soccer fields for Parks, have brought about positive change ST ANN'S AV Handball • Spray showers in their local parks by organizing clean-ups, Playground Playground • Tennis courts planting flowers, hostingIt’s My Park Day Basketball • Wi-fi hot spots events, and being vigilant about parkE 142 use ST and upkeep. At the time of this writing, efforts are Baseball Park maintenance underway to form a Friends of St. Mary’s Park. E 144 ST With rolling hills, glacial rock outcroppings, WALES AV

and tree-lined pathways, visitors can immerse Capital Investment CRIMMINS AV themselves in a pastoral landscape. But those Other issues in St. Mary’s Park will require same hills and paths can be challenging significant capital investment in infrastructure. to maintain. In 2012 NY4P conducted a The Parks Department recently repaired a St. Mary’s Park. maintenance assessment of St. Mary’s Park staircase in the western portion of the park, E 141 ST as part of its Report Card on Large Parks. The and the recreation center underwent a “green park features still demand attention, including playground with aging equipment, crumbling overall park score of 78 (C+) placed St. Mary’s retrofit” that included upgrades to light fixtures ball fields that lack working bleachers and pathways, and deteriorating staircases on the among the lowest-scoring of 43 large parks and improvements to the pool. However, other lights, a bathroom that regularly floods, a POWERSeastern AV side of the park.E 142 ST

CYPRESS AV

24 ✿ New Yorkers for parks E 140 ST

SOUTHERN BL

E 139 ST Take Advantage of E 149 ST N 0 500 1,000 Feet E 146 ST E 155 ST E 148 ST Randall’s Island Park E 144 ST E 152 ST MAJOR DEEGAN EP AV ST JOHN

Randall’s Island Park Amenities E 151 ST

BROOK AV PARK AV

3 AV E 145 ST E 147 ST MORRIS AV • 66 fields for soccer, softball, baseball, CANAL RIDERPL AV FOX ST E 146 ST UNION AV PROSPECT AV

E 143 ST EXTERIOR ST ST ANN'S AV football, cricket, lacrosse, field hockey, TINTON AV E 144 ST

rugby, including lighted fields for WALES AV E 142 ST SOUTHERN BL E 145 ST E 140 ST TIMPSON PL LINCOLN AV ALEXANDER AV night use E 141 ST E 144 ST AUSTIN PL

E 139 ST CRIMMINS AV BRUCKNER BL E 134 ST • 8 miles of bicycle and E 135 ST E 138 ST BEEKMAN AV

E 149 ST 149 E E 136 ST POWERS AV

CYPRESS AV pedestrian pathways E 140 ST MAJOR DEEGAN EP E 137 ST ALEXANDER AV

WILLIS AV • Newly redesigned Scylla Playground E 132 ST E 134 ST E 139 ST BRUCKNER BL BRUCKNER EP WILLIS AV E 138 ST BROWN PL • Picnic areas E 137 ST

E 132 ST E 133 ST • 9 acres of salt marsh and E 134 ST

E 133 ST WILLOW AV freshwater wetlands E 132 ST • Gardens and a one-acre urban farm TRIBOROUGH BR • Fishing sites • Fee-based sports facilities • Free community programs for N 0 500 1,000 Feet family and youth • Volunteer opportunities n Randall’s Island Connector Looking at Mott Haven from Randall’s Island, only a stone’s throw across the Bronx Kill. new Access to Randall’s Island n RFK/Triborough Bridge Walkway from the South Bronx n Mott Haven getting people there pathways, and amenities will require the In the fall of 2013 the NYC Economic n Mott Haven NYCHA Developments Despite its many amenities, and the direct active coordination of a number of City and Development Corporation (EDC) announced n Mott Haven Parks access provided by the Connector, it will be a State agencies. The promotion of the Randall’s that long-sought easement rights had been n Randall’s Island lengthy walk to Randall’s Island for many Mott Island Connector as a destination for South obtained to construct a quarter-mile bicycle Haven residents. Getting to the Connector Bronx residents is a potential initiative for the and pedestrian pathway connecting the destination that offers tremendous natural will require travel through an active industrial Bronx Borough President’s Office, working South Bronx to Randall’s Island.21 When and recreational resources. Randall’s Island is a area and across busy truck routes. Wayfinding in conjunction with local business leaders construction is completed in 2015, the stone’s throw away from the South Bronx, and signs, bike lanes, and streetscape amenities and neighborhood economic development Randall’s Island Connector, a bridge spanning the Connector will offer Mott Haven residents such as lights, benches, and pedestrian crossing organizations. the Bronx Kill and connecting pathway, will a chance to approach the waterfront that they signals must help safely guide residents to put nearly 10,000 Mott Haven residents are currently disconnected from. Randall’s Island Park. The coordination of within a 20-minute walk of the island, a traffic calming measures, signage, lighted

mott haven open space index ❁ 25 Explore Creative Ways Street at the East River. A 2009 rezoning of to Provide Waterfront the Lower Concourse included the creation of a Special Harlem River Waterfront District, Harlem Bronx Open Spaces River River Mott Haven is situated on a peninsula at the which provides the groundwork for a future southern tip of the South Bronx. The Harlem public walkway along the waterfront and new River, Bronx Kill, and East River are all a short park. And in nearby Hunts Point, a group of walk from the heart of the neighborhood, yet local and government partners created and are there are currently no opportunities for public implementing a detailed plan for a 10-mile access to the water. Industrial sites ring the South Bronx Greenway connecting residents Special peninsula, creating a wall between residents to neighborhood parks and points along the Harlem River Waterfront and the water. waterfront. District

For many years, community residents and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. organizations, including the Harlem River recently gave critical support for enriching the Working Group, Sustainable South Bronx, South Bronx’s connections to the waterfront. and South Bronx Unite, have been advocating In his 2014 State of the Borough speech, Diaz Mott Haven Hunt’s Point South Bronx for access to the waterfront. With the help of endorsed efforts to expand and strengthen Greenway partners like the Pratt Institute, the Trust for waterfront accessibility throughout the Waterfront Public Land, the Metropolitan Waterfront Bronx.22 Developing any one of these potential Access at Lincoln and Alliance, New Yorkers for Parks, and the Bronx waterfront connections comes with a set of Harlem River Bronx Museum, advocates have developed proposals practical challenges, but with the right balance Kill for specific sites, including the terminus of of collaboration between advocates, planners, Waterfront Lincoln Avenue at the Harlem River and the and the government, each is attainable. Access at 134th Street and Locust Avenue intersection of Locust Avenue and 134th East River East River

N 0 0.25 0.5 1 Miles

26 ✿ New Yorkers for parks Appendix A: Open Space Index Data Collection

NY4P’s development of the Open Space as a portion of a park consisting of play Courts Index began with an extensive survey of open equipment, such as swings and structures Basketball, handball, volleyball, tennis and bocce courts space policies and metrics used in other cities. for climbing. A playground is defined as the Data Collection While many of these standards do not work maximally bounded area that contains play Collecting data on courts also requires surveying neighborhood parks on foot. Surveyors visit for New York City’s unique population density features. Sometimes this will be a stand-alone all parks in the study area to confirm the number and types of courts available. All tennis, and geographic constraints, they provided property; other times, there will be several basketball, volleyball, handball and bocce courts are counted toward this total. When half- thoughtful groundwork for developing OSI playgrounds within a larger park. Most basketball courts are identified, they are counted as ½ of a court. targets. NY4P also drew upon existing New NewYork City public playgrounds are operated York City open space and sustainability by the Parks Department. We also include Court and Field Dimensions goals, such as those laid out in PlaNYC, and in our calculation PlaNYC Schoolyard-to- Type Square footage 23 recommendations by experts in relevant fields Playground sites, and private schoolyards with Baseball Field (Standard) 70,650 Baseball Field (Little League) 25,44724 such as urban planning and environmental explicitly stated hours of public accessibility. Basketball Court 4,20025 advocacy. NY4P conducted a pilot study of the Bocce Court No fixed size, measure bocce court with a measuring wheel26 Lower East Side of Manhattan in the spring of Athletic Fields Cricket Pitch & Field No fixed size, measure cricket fields with a measuring wheel 2009, which helped to refine the Open Space Soccer, football, cricket, baseball, and hockey Football Field 57,60027 Index and was the basis of our first published fields, as well as ice rinks Golf Course No fixed size, contact course manager or use the Open Space Index Report in 2010. Data Collection Parks Department website Handball Court 68028 Surveyors visit all parks in the study area Hockey Rink 17,000 29 Playgrounds to confirm the number and types of fields Running Track No fixed size, measure tracks with a measuring wheel Places for play, containing equipment such as available. When fields overlap one another, Pool a) Long-Course 12,30030 swings, structures for climbing, water features, surveyors count the maximum number of fields b) Short-Course 4,50531 sand boxes and other play features that can be used simultaneously. For instance, c) Diving Pool 4,50032 33 Data Collection if two baseball fields are drawn atop a soccer Soccer Field (standard) 54,000 34 Collecting data on playgrounds requires field, the area will be counted as two fields. Soccer Field (small) 27,000 Tennis Court 2,10635 surveying neighborhood parks on foot. Volleyball Court 1,80036 Surveyors visit all parks and playgrounds in the study area to identify play equipment. The Open Space Index defines a playground

mottmott haven haven op oenp enspa scpae cindexe index ❁ 27❁ 27

Recreation Centers however, occasionally these elements are not Passive Open Space Total Open Space Indoor recreation facilities and other indoor standard size. When a court, field or pool is Total acreage of lawns, esplanades, plazas, beaches, The aggregate acreage of all neighborhood open facilities operated by the Parks Department, shaped irregularly, surveyors use a measuring natural areas and planted areas, plus community spaces and those with public access comparable to those wheel to obtain the dimensions. A measuring gardens Data Collection operated by the Parks Department wheel must also be used to calculate the size Data Collection This number combines all active and passive Data Collection of playgrounds. In the case of greenways, Passive open space acreage is calculated using open spaces, as previously calculated. Data on recreation centers comes from a bikeways, golf courses and recreation centers, a number of sources and methods. Maps variety of sources. The Parks Department lists the Parks Department can often provide data obtained from the Parks Department and Access and Distance to parks its recreation center locations on its website. on acreage. However, when a measurement other City agencies, NYC Audubon Society, Walking distance to pocket, neighborhood and Surveyors also identify community centers run is not available, these features are measured and other sources provide data on parks, large parks by non-profits and other agencies through field manually as well. beaches, community gardens and natural Data Collection work and in consultation with local officials. areas. NY4P staff uses GIS (Geographic To create a measurement of park accessibility If these sites offer recreational opportunities, Community Gardens Information Systems) mapping software to that takes into account how people move are publicly-accessible, and maintain a fee All GreenThumb gardens and other gardens that calculate the acreage of community gardens, through the neighborhood, we measured structure comparable to Parks Department provide a clear mechanism for public involvement natural areas, beaches and parks. For large the walking distance along pedestrian routes recreation centers, they are included in the and access parks that are primarily passive but contain from park entrances using GIS software. Using neighborhood’s recreation center count.37 Data Collection some active recreation, NY4P subtracts the data collected from fieldwork and publicly New York City’s community gardens are owned active space acreage from the total park acreage available datasets for parks, sidewalks, and Active Open Space and operated by a variety of entities including to obtain the passive open space acreage. For census blocks, we first created a weighted map Total acreage of playgrounds, fields, courts, pools, the Parks Department, the Trust for Public neighborhood parks that tend to be occupied layer that privileges travel along sidewalks over golf courses, greenways, bikeways and recreation Land, New York Restoration Project, and primarily by active open space, NY4P other surfaces. Next we calculated distances of centers, plus unprogrammed active open space others. NY4P obtains community garden data calculates the passive acreage by measuring either ¼-mile from pocket and neighborhood Data Collection from the Parks Department and GrowNYC. lawns, esplanades, planted areas and other parks or ½-mile from large park entrances, Calculating a neighborhood’s active open space Surveyors, led by NY4P staff, visit each garden passive spaces within parks using a measuring which presented the total area covered by the acreage requires measuring the playgrounds, to confirm the data. Surveyors also identify wheel. Often these spaces are permeable, OSI park accessibility standards. Finally, we courts, fields, swimming pools, golf courses, community gardens through on-the-ground and the measurements can also be used for overlaid 2010 US Census population data greenways, bikeways and recreation centers. fieldwork and confirm potential public gardens the permeable surfaces element of the OSI. for each census block data to calculate the Surveyors employ a variety of methods to obtain with data from OASIS (www.oasisnyc.net) Information on privately owned public plazas population residing within that area. Where this data. Most courts, fields and pools follow and PLUTO maps. developed through the City’s incentive zoning census blocks fell only partially within the area, national size standards (listed on page 27); program is obtained from the Department of we determined the percentage covered and City Planning’s website.38 The locations of the assumed an equal distribution of population Department of Transportation’s Plaza Program within the block to arrive at our figures. are obtained from its website.39

28 28✿ N✿ew New Yorkers Yorkers for for parks parks

urban Tree Canopy (UTC) artificial turf fields within the survey area’s For both categories, NY4P calculates a Neighborhood-level tree canopy capacity parks and open spaces.41 In parks that are neighborhood’s result by adding the number estimates from the U.S. Forest Service primarily concrete, we measure each individual of park inspections that rated acceptable and Data Collection permeable space with a measuring wheel. In dividing that number by the total number of The Open Space Index uses the potential parks with large swaths of natural surfacing, it inspections for area parks over the last three neighborhood-level tree canopy coverage is more efficient to measure the impermeable years. The OSI standards correspond to the estimate published in the U.S. Forest Service’s surfaces and subtract them from the park’s NYC Mayor’s Management Report park 2006 study, A Report on New York City’s overall acreage to find the permeable surfacing performance targets. Present and Possible Urban Tree Canopy, as acreage for that park. each neighborhood’s target. Using GIS data and aerial photography, the Forest Service Park Maintenance calculated New York City’s existing Urban The Parks Department Park Inspection Program Tree Canopy (UTC) at 24%. By identifying all (PIP) ratings for cleanliness and overall land not covered by water, roads or buildings as maintenance possible planting locations, the study estimated Data Collection that New York City’s UTC could be expanded To calculate park maintenance results, the to 42%.40 Open Space Index uses the “cleanliness” and “overall maintenance” ratings from the Parks Permeable Surfacing Department’s Park Inspection Program (PIP) Land that can absorb water, including tree pits, for all parks within the survey area over the natural areas, planted green areas, community last three years. The PIP results are listed on gardens, natural grass fields, artificial turf fields, each park’s page on the the Parks Department and other porous surfaces within parks website. The “cleanliness” rating is based on Data Collection the presence of litter, glass, graffiti, weeds and NY4P collects permeable surfacing data by ice. The “overall maintenance” rating assesses: surveying neighborhood parks and publicly litter, glass, graffiti, weeds, ice, benches, fences, accessible open spaces on foot and identifying paved surfaces, play equipment, safety surface, all tree pits, natural areas, planted green areas, sidewalks, athletic fields, horticultural areas, community gardens, natural grass fields and lawns, trails, trees, and water bodies.

mottmott haven haven op oenp enspa scpae cindexe index ❁ 29❁ 29 E 152 ST E 151 ST

E 156 ST E 146 ST

RAE ST E 149 ST Appendix B: NYCHA Use Observations E 150 ST

BERGEN AV

BROOK AV EAGLE AV

MELROSE AV

Methods & ResultsGERARD AV CAULDWELL AV E 146 ST

E 155 ST

E 144 ST SOPARC: System for Observing Play and The observation portion of our open space patterson and Mott Haven houses WESTCHESTER AV Recreation in Communities, created by Thomas study took place after the collection of physical E 152 ST L. McKenzie, Ph.D., Deborah A. Cohen, open space measurements for the calculation COURTLANDT AV GRAND CONCOURSE MD, MPH, is a systematized observation of Index targets, which allowed surveyors to method that allows researchers to determine become familiar with each space. Surveyors seating WALTON AV the distribution and intensity of physical spent an additional day informally observing seating activity across park space. NY4P surveyors the use of each park or NYCHA campus before E 141 ST E 142 ST used a modified version of the SOPARC parsing the property into use zones, following seating EAGLE AV 42 seating playground TRINITY AV method to 1) divide the Parks Department SOPARC mapping strategies. CAULDWELL AV seating playground E 148 ST playground basketball seating and NYCHA open spaces into discrete PARK AV E 143 ST seating activity areas, and 2) record characteristicsMADISON AV BR Surveyors visited parks and NYCHA campuses CANAL PL seating RIDER AV playground E 150 ST of park users and the activities in which on two weekdays and one weekend day, three PATTERSON HOUSES E 147 ST MORRIS AV E 145 ST they were engaged within each park zone. times per day (morning 9-11am, lunchtime playground seating E 140 ST 3RD AV

11am-2pm, and afternoon 2-5pm), for a total seating FOX ST The purpose of this method in the context of of nine observation periods in each property. basketball seating PROSPECT AV ST ANN'S AV playground seating UNION AV the Mott Haven Open Space Index study was We entered observation data for each unique playground TINTON AV seating MOTT HAVEN HOUSES seating playground to determine the distribution of open space observation period. To better understand the seating seating seating use across different types of space and times distribution of use across types of spaces (e.g. playground playground seating E 143 ST PARK AV playground of day; surveyors noted the number of people seating areas, playgrounds, basketball courts), seating seating seating playground seating E 144 ST seating CONCORD AV engaged in an activity, listing age and gender we aggregated the observations across all time seating E 147 ST basketball (with the option for unknown), recording periods. The use diagrams that follow the seating playground observations of use for each target area within aggregated volume of use in the five NYCHA seating CANAL ST W a park or NYCHA property. If more than one developments within our study area. playground WALES AV

seating playground activity was taking place in a single target area, E 137 ST playground surveyors noted all activities. seating SOUTHERN BL

E 136 ST E 142 ST Heavy Use n n n n n n LightALEXANDER Use AV n Parks and Gardens n NYCHA Buildings E 145 ST TIMPSON PL

MAJOR DEEGAN EP E 140 ST playground seating AUSTIN PL playground playground E 137 ST

seating CRIMMINS AV E 144 ST seating

basketball 3 AV BR 30 30✿ N✿ew New Yorkers Yorkers for for parks parks playground seating ST MARY'S ST seating BEEKMAN AV E 139 ST E 135 ST playground

3 AV BR E 138 ST POWERS AV E 142 ST

LINCOLN AV E 134 ST

CYPRESS AV E 136 ST

JACKSON AV ALEXANDER AV

WILLIS AV playground E 140 ST seating E 137 ST BRUCKNER EP E 141 ST MAJOR DEEGAN EP basketball

E 132 ST playground E 140 ST E 141 ST playground playground

WILLIS AV seating seating E 139 ST WILLIS AV BROWN PL seating

BROOK AV E 140 ST E 138 ST

E 137 ST ST ANN'S AV

E 132 ST WALNUT AV E 133 ST E 136 ST

E 137 ST

WILLOW AV LOCUST AV N 0 500 1,000 Feet E 135 ST E 134 ST E 138 ST

E 133 ST E 136 ST E 152 ST E 151 ST

E 156 ST E 146 ST

RAE ST E 149 ST E 150 ST

BERGEN AV

BROOK AV EAGLE AV

MELROSE AV

GERARD AV E 146 ST CAULDWELL AV

E 155 ST

E 144 ST WESTCHESTER AV

E 152 ST COURTLANDT AV GRAND CONCOURSE

seating WALTON AV seating E 141 ST E 142 ST

seating seating EAGLE AV

playground TRINITY AV seating playground E 148 ST CAULDWELL AV playground basketball seating PARK AV E 143 ST seating MADISON AV BR CANAL PL seating RIDER AV playground E 150 ST PATTERSON HOUSES E 147 ST MORRIS AV E 145 ST playground seating E 140 ST 3RD AV

seating FOX ST basketball seating PROSPECT AV ST ANN'S AV playground seating UNION AV playground TINTON AV seating MOTT HAVEN HOUSES seating playground seating seating seating playground playground seating E 143 ST PARK AV playground seating seating seating playground seating E 144 ST seating CONCORD AV seating E 147 ST basketball seating playground seating CANAL ST W playground WALES AV

seating playground E 137 ST playground seating SOUTHERN BL E 152 ST E 151 ST E 136 ST E 142 ST ALEXANDER AV E 156 ST E 145 ST TIMPSON PL E 146 ST

RAE ST E 149 ST E 150 ST MAJOR DEEGAN EP

BERGEN AV E 140 ST playground seating BROOK AV EAGLE AV AUSTIN PL playground MELROSEplayground AV GERARD AV E 146 ST E 137 ST CAULDWELL AV

seating CRIMMINS AV E 144 ST seating E 155 ST

E 144 ST basketball WESTCHESTER AV 3 AV BR playground seating ST MARY'S ST seating BEEKMAN AV E 139 ST E 135 ST playground E 152 ST COURTLANDT AV GRAND CONCOURSE betances houses Millbrook houses

3 AV BR E 138 ST POWERS AV E 142 ST seating WALTON AV seating E 141 ST E 142 ST LINCOLN AV E 134 ST

CYPRESS AV E 136 ST seating seating EAGLE AV playground TRINITY AV seating playground E 148 ST CAULDWELL AV playground basketball seating PARK AV JACKSON AV E 143 ST seating MADISON AV BR ALEXANDER AV CANAL PL seating RIDER AV playground E 150 ST PATTERSON HOUSES E 147 ST MORRIS AV E 145 ST playground seating WILLIS AV playground E 140 ST E 140 ST 3RD AV seating E 137 ST BRUCKNER EP seating FOX ST E 141 ST basketball seating MAJOR DEEGAN EP PROSPECT AV ST ANN'S AV basketball playground seating UNION AV playground TINTON AV seating MOTT HAVEN HOUSES seating playground E 132 ST playground E 140 ST seating seating seating E 141 ST playground playground seating playground playground playground E 143 ST PARK AV seating seating WILLIS AV seating seating playground seating E 139 ST WILLIS AV seating E 144 ST seating BROWN PL CONCORD AV seating E 147 ST seating basketball

seating BROOK AV playground E 140 ST seating E 138 ST CANAL ST W playground WALES AV

playground seating E 137 ST E 137 ST playground ST ANN'S AV seating SOUTHERN BL

E 136 ST E 142 ST WALNUT AV ALEXANDER AV E 132 ST E 145 ST TIMPSON PL E 133 ST E 136 ST

E 137 ST

MAJOR DEEGAN EP WILLOW AV E 140 ST LOCUST AV playground Heavy Use n n n n n n Light Use n Parks and Gardens n NYCHA Buildings Heavy Use n n n n n n Light Use n Parks and Gardens n NYCHA Buildings seating N 0 500 1,000 Feet AUSTIN PL E 135 ST playground E 134 ST playground E 138 ST E 137 ST E 133 ST E 136 ST seating CRIMMINS AV E 144 ST seating basketball 3 AV BR playground seating ST MARY'S ST seating BEEKMAN AV E 139 ST E 135 ST playground

mottmott haven haven op oenp enspa scpae cindexe index ❁ 31❁ 31 3 AV BR E 138 ST POWERS AV E 142 ST

LINCOLN AV E 134 ST

CYPRESS AV E 136 ST

JACKSON AV ALEXANDER AV

WILLIS AV playground E 140 ST seating E 137 ST BRUCKNER EP E 141 ST MAJOR DEEGAN EP basketball

E 132 ST playground E 140 ST E 141 ST playground playground

WILLIS AV seating seating E 139 ST WILLIS AV BROWN PL seating

BROOK AV E 140 ST E 138 ST

E 137 ST ST ANN'S AV

E 132 ST WALNUT AV E 133 ST E 136 ST

E 137 ST

WILLOW AV LOCUST AV N 0 500 1,000 Feet E 135 ST E 134 ST E 138 ST

E 133 ST E 136 ST E 152 ST E 151 ST

E 156 ST E 146 ST

RAE ST E 149 ST E 150 ST

BERGEN AV

BROOK AV EAGLE AV

MELROSE AV

GERARD AV E 146 ST CAULDWELL AV

E 155 ST

E 144 ST WESTCHESTER AV

E 152 ST COURTLANDT AV GRAND CONCOURSE

seating WALTON AV seating E 141 ST E 142 ST

seating seating EAGLE AV

playground TRINITY AV seating playground E 148 ST CAULDWELL AV playground basketball seating PARK AV E 143 ST seating MADISON AV BR CANAL PL seating RIDER AV playground E 150 ST PATTERSON HOUSES E 147 ST MORRIS AV E 145 ST playground seating E 140 ST 3RD AV

seating FOX ST basketball seating PROSPECT AV ST ANN'S AV playground seating UNION AV playground TINTON AV seating MOTT HAVEN HOUSES seating playground seating seating seating playground playground seating E 143 ST PARK AV playground seating seating seating playground seating E 144 ST seating CONCORD AV seating E 147 ST basketball mitchel houses seating playground seating CANAL ST W playground WALES AV

seating playground E 137 ST playground seating SOUTHERN BL

E 136 ST E 142 ST ALEXANDER AV E 145 ST TIMPSON PL

MAJOR DEEGAN EP E 140 ST playground seating AUSTIN PL playground playground E 137 ST

seating CRIMMINS AV E 144 ST seating

basketball 3 AV BR playground seating ST MARY'S ST seating BEEKMAN AV E 139 ST E 135 ST playground

3 AV BR E 138 ST POWERS AV E 142 ST

LINCOLN AV E 134 ST

CYPRESS AV E 136 ST

JACKSON AV ALEXANDER AV

WILLIS AV playground E 140 ST seating E 137 ST Heavy Use n n n n n n Light Use n Parks and Gardens n NYCHA Buildings BRUCKNER EP E 141 ST MAJOR DEEGAN EP basketball

E 132 ST playground E 140 ST E 141 ST playground playground

WILLIS AV seating seating E 139 ST WILLIS AV BROWN PL seating

32 32✿ N✿ew New Yorkers Yorkers for for parks parks BROOK AV E 140 ST E 138 ST

E 137 ST ST ANN'S AV

E 132 ST WALNUT AV E 133 ST E 136 ST

E 137 ST

WILLOW AV LOCUST AV N 0 500 1,000 Feet E 135 ST E 134 ST E 138 ST

E 133 ST E 136 ST Appendix C: Mott Haven Parks

Pocket Parks (under 1 acre) Neighborhood Parks (1 to 20 acres) Alexander’s Alley Lozada Playground Brook Park Millbrook Playground Bruckner Mott Haven Garden Patterson Playground Clark Playground People’s Park Padre Plaza Success Garden Playground 134 Ranaqua Park Pulaski Park Saw Mill Playground Willis Playground St. Luke’s Park Sunflower Garden Large Park (more than 20 acres) United We Stand Garden St. Mary’s Park Wanaqua Garden Willis Avenue Community Garden

open space index results Amenity Quantity Current Condition Open Space Index Standard Meets Standard? Active Open Space (acres) 14.92 0.32 per 1,000 residents 1 per 1,000 residents No Playgrounds 12 1.06 per 1,250 children 1 per1,250 children Yes Athletic Fields 10 2.16 per 10,000 residents 1.5 per 10,000 residents Yes Courts 54.5 11.76 per 10,000 residents 5 per 10,000 residents Yes Recreation Centers 2 0.86 per 20,000 residents 1 per 20,000 residents No Community Gardens 8 1.73 per 10,000 residents 1 per 10,000 residents Yes Passive Open Space (acres) 37.01 0.8 per 1,000 residents 1.5 per 1,000 residents No Total Open Space (acres) 51.01 1.1 per 1,000 residents 2.5 per 1,000 residents No Pocket Parks (population) 31,304 68% within a 5-minute walk 100% within a 5-minute walk No Neighborhood Parks (people) 31,440 68% within a 5-minute walk 100% within a 5-minute walk No Large Parks (people) 23,267 50% within a 10-minute walk 100% within a 10-minute walk No Meets All Accessibility Standards (people) 11,472 25% within walking distance 100% within walking distance No Tree canopy coverage — 11% actual canopy coverage 45% possible canopy coverage No Permeable Surface of all parks (acres) 30.72 60% open space permeable 70% open space permeable No Permeable Surface w/o St. Mary’s (acres) 4.14 26% open space permeable 70% open space permeable — Parks rated “Acceptable” Overall — 71% “acceptable” 85% “acceptable” No Parks rated “Acceptable” on Cleanliness — 80% “acceptable” 90% “acceptable” No

mottmott haven haven op oenp enspa scpae cindexe index ❁ 33❁ 33 Endnotes

1 See Toward an Age-Friendly New York City: A Findings 9 http://crashstat.org/sites/default/files/dangerous/ including the Bronx River. http://www.nyc.gov/html/ 33 See the Sports-Know-How website. Report, The New York Academy of Medicine, http:// Top%20Ten%20Intersections%20by%20Crash%20 dep/pdf/green_infrastructure/NYCGreenInfrastruc- http://www.sportsknowhow.com/soccer/dimensions/ www.nyam.org/news/docs/AgeFriendly.pdf Type%20and%20Boro.pdf turePlan_LowRes.pdf soccer-dimensions.html 2 By identifying all land not covered by water, roads or 10 http://www.streetsblog.org/2013/04/08/after-fatali- 20 High Performance Landscape Guidelines: 21st Century 34 Ibid. buildings as possible planting locations, the study esti- ties-mott-haven-residents-rally-for-safe-streets-few- Parks for NYC, a document by the Design Trust for 35 See the Sports-Know-How website. mated that New York City’s UTC could be expanded er-trucks/ Public Space and the NYC Department of Parks & http://www.sportsknowhow.com/tennis/dimensions/ to 42%. The 2006 report finds that all 188 New York Recreation. 11 http://www.ny4p.org/research/osi/LES.pdf tennis-court-dimensions.html City neighborhoods have the potential to increase 21 the construction of the connector is a success for their tree canopy coverage. In light of these findings, 12 http://activelivingresearch.org/node/10654 36 See the Sports-Know-How website. the multiple agencies and community organizations the City initiated MillionTreesNYC, which is facilitating http://www.sportsknowhow.com/volleyball/dimen- 13 for a discussion, see William H. Whyte, City: that coordinated to bring about the agreement, the planting of one million trees with the ultimate sions/volleyball-court-dimensions.html. Rediscovering the Center, New York: Doubleday, 1988. including The Point CDC, Sustainable South Bronx, the goal of achieving 30% citywide tree canopy coverage 37 DPR recreation center membership and fees: http:// 14 Deborah Cohen, Terry Marsh, Stephanie Williamson, Parks Department, the Randall’s Island Park Alliance, by 2030. Grove, J. M., O’Neil-Dunne, J., Pelletier, K., www.nycgovparks.org/programs/recreation-centers/ Kathryn Pitkin Derose, Homero Martinez, Claude NYC DOT, EDC, and elected representatives. Nowak, D., and Walton, J. (2006). A Report on New York membership Setodji, and Thom McKenzie, “Parks and Physical Ac- City’s Present and Possible Urban Tree Canopy. http://nrs. 22 ruben Diaz, Jr., Bronx Borough President. “State of the tivity: Why are Some Parks Used More Than Others?” 38 New York City Department of City Planning. http:// fs.fed.us/nyc/local-resources/downloads/Grove_UTC_ Borough Address.” Speech, The Bronx, NY, February Preventative Medicine 50.1 (2010): S9-S12. www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/priv/priv.shtml NYC_FINAL.pdf 20, 2014. http://bronxboropres.nyc.gov/pdf/2014- 15 Deborah A. Cohen, Bing Han, Kathryn Pitkin Derose, bronx-bp-ruben-diaz-jr-sotb.pdf. 39 New York City Department of Transportation. http:// 3 when rainwater flows off paved surfaces, it picks up Stephanie Williamson, Terry Marsh, Jodi Rudick, and www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/sidewalks/publicplaza. contaminants that are then carried through the city’s 23 outfield and foul ground sizes vary. See Grady L. Thomas McKenzie, “Neighborhood Poverty, Park shtml over-taxed wastewater treatment process. But when Miller, “Baseball Field Layout and Construction,” Use, and Park-Based Physical Activity in a Southern the runoff encounters a natural surface, the soil and Environmental Horticulture Department, Cooperative 40 J. Morgan Grove, Jarlath O’Neil-Dunne, Keith Pelletier, California City,” Social Science & Medicine 75.12 (2012): vegetation filter out some of the pollutants. Permeable Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural David Nowak, Jeff Walkton. “A Report on New York 2317-2325. surfacing can also reduce the volume of stormwater Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, Publica- City’s Present and Possible Urban Tree Canopy.” runoff as soil absorbs some moisture. Most impor- 16 Part of President Lynden B. Johnson’s Great Society, tion date: June 2001, Revised: July 2001. http://ufdc.ufl. Table 6: Existing, Possible, and Relative UTC by tantly, soil and vegetation slow the speed of the runoff the Demonstration Cities and Metropolitan Rede- edu/IR00001736/00001 Neighborhood, p 20, July 2006. http://www.nrs.fs.fed. by providing a physical barrier. velopment Act of 1966 provided grants and technical 24 Ibid. us/nyc/local-resources/downloads/Grove_UTC_NYC_ assistance from the Department of Housing and Ur- FINAL.pdf 4 the full set of 17 factors includes: litter, glass, graffiti, 25 See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basketball_court ban Development to communities nationwide. These weeds, ice, benches, fences, paved surfaces, play equip- 41 The Open Space Index does not separate out artificial cities planned and developed individual programs to 26 See http://www.sportsknowhow.com/bocce/dimen- ment, safety surfaces, sidewalks, athletic fields, horti- turf fields into a unique permeability category because rebuild “blighted” or “slum” neighborhoods. http:// sions/bocce-court-dimensions.html cultural areas, lawns, trails, trees, and water bodies. of the variety of turf systems used in city parks and digitalcollections.baylor.edu/cdm/ref/collection/cs-vert/ 27 http://sportsknowhow.com/football/field-dimensions/ the lack of public research on turf permeability. 5 2010 U.S. Census id/6309. high-school-football-field-dimensions.html 42 see http://activelivingresearch.rog/files/SOPARC-SO- 6 Ibid. 17 http://www.human-dimensions.org/storage/arti- 28 United States Handball Association. http://ushandball. PLAY_MappingStrategies.pdf. cle-pdfs/4.pdf 7 Ibid. org/courts2.html 18 an Americorps-sponsored green jobs training 8 from the GreenThumb Gardener’s Handbook: “Open 29 Sports-Know-How. http://www.sportsknowhow.com/ program for young adult NYCHA residents. Hours: A minimum of 20 hours per week (10 which hockey/dimensions/hockey-rink-dimensions.html must posted) a garden’s gates must be open April 1st http://www.greencityforce.org/. 30 For NCAA Standards for Swimming and Diving Pools, through October 31st.” http://www.greenthumbnyc. 19 The 2010 NYC Green Infrastructure Plan, a document see the Recreonics website. http://www.recreonics. org/pdf/gardeners_handbook.pdf by the NYC Department of Environmental Protection, com/fyi/ncaa_standards.htm which sets goals for improving water quality in city waterways, includes a goal to control 10% of the 31 Ibid. runoff from impervious surfaces citywide. The plan 32 Ibid. identifies target areas around NYC watersheds,

34 ✿ New Yorkers for parks New Yorkers for Parks Board of Directors Emeritus Directors Staff The Arthur Ross Center for Parks and Open Spaces Edward C. Wallace, Chair Ann L. Buttenwieser, Ph.D. Tupper Thomas 55 Broad Street, 23rd Floor Catherine Morrison Golden, Ellen Chesler Executive Director New York, NY 10004 Vice Chair Barbara S. Dixon Alyson Beha (212) 838-9410 Mark Hoenig, Secretary Barbara Fife Director of Research, www.ny4p.org Elaine Allen, Treasurer Richard Gilder Planning & Policy Luis Garden Acosta Michael Grobstein New Yorkers for Parks is the citywide independent organization Milovan Blair Ira M. Millstein Evelyn Chen Dr. Roscoe Brown, Jr. Philip R. Pitruzzello Director of Development championing quality parks and open spaces for all New Yorkers Christian DiPalermo in all neighborhoods. Margaret A. Doyle Directors Council Sam Mei Audrey Feuerstein Micaéla Birmingham Fiscal Manager Paul Gottsegen Elizabeth Greenstein This study was made possible in part by funds granted by the Charles Lucy Robson Rick Gropper Laura Hansen Research & Planning Analyst H. Revson Foundation, the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, and George J. Grumbach, Jr. Kate Kerrigan New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, and with support Lynden B. Miller Carol Loewenson Emily Walker from the New York City Housing Authority. The statements made and Elizabeth Propp Thomas Paulo Community Outreach & Christopher Rizzo Phyllis Reich Events Coordinator views expressed, however, are solely the responsibility of the producer. Joel Steinhaus Oliver Spellman Fern Thomas Paul Willen Robin Weinstein New Yorkers for Parks’ research is also supported, in part, by the Virginia Veras John S. Winkleman Director of Operations & Finance Altman Foundation, Lily Auchincloss Foundation, John N. Blackman Sr. Carmen Walker-Gay Foundation, The Cowles Charitable Trust, The William and Mary Greve James Yolles Director of Communications Foundation, J. M. Kaplan Fund, David L. Klein Foundation, Leon Levy Research & Planning Interns Foundation, The Lucius N. Littauer Foundation, Henry and Lucy Moses C. Ellis Calvin Fund, the Roy and Niuta Titus Foundation, and the Winston Foundation. Siriporn Sophonpanich

Special Thanks Design: Michael Bierman. Holly Leicht Photos: Copyright 2014. New Yorkers for Parks. All Rights Reserved. Jessica Feldman Map data: NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, 2012. Cover: Lozada Playground. Copyright 2014. New Yorkers for Parks. All Rights Reserved. Printed with vegetable-based ink on paper containing 100% post-consumer waste. 100% of the electricity used to manufacture this paper is renewable.

Great Parks Make a Great City