q u e e n s Glen Oaks, Floral Park, New Hyde Park, c i t y Bellerose, Oakland Gardens, Jamaica Estates, c o u n c i l 2009 d i s t r i c t 23 Holliswood, Queens Village

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 : Cunningham Park Until 2006 the City did not spe- cifcally track crimes occurring on city parkland, and therefore no data was available to tell citizens about the safety of their parks. New Yorkers for Parks worked with the City Council and Mayor to pass legislation mandating the tracking of crime in the 20 largest parks, with the eventual goal of including every park. Cun- ningham Park is one of the initial 20 parks, and in our 2008 report, “Tracking Crime in NYC Parks,” we offer details on crime data Bellaire Playground, Holliswood collected in the park. Visit www. The Bloomberg Administration’s physical barriers or crime. As a result, ny4p.org for more information on park safety. PlaNYC is the first-ever effort to studies show significant increases in sustainably address the many infra- nearby real estate values. Greenways structure needs of New York City, are expanding waterfront access including parks. With targets set for while creating safer routes for cyclists 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: Queens

QUEENS Beaches and Lifeguards Park Inspection Program Ratings: Parks by the Queens vs. Citywide (% rated acceptable) Numbers Queens offers a diverse array of parks and open Queens Citywide spaces. From small urban playgrounds to the seven 100% 2,090 mile long Rockaway Beach, Queens residents can Acres of natural areas enjoy a variety of open space opportunities. Rockaway 90% Beach on the Atlantic Ocean provides recreation and 260 a reprieve from the summer heat for residents across Playgrounds 80% New York City. As described in The Report Card on Beaches, New Yorkers for Parks’ independent evalu- 180 70% Comfort stations ation of City beaches, maintenance poses a unique 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 challenge to the Parks Department due to heavy usage The Parks Department conducts 5,000 park inspections annually 776 during the summer months. Unlike parks, beach through their internal rating system, the Park Inspection Program. Drinking fountains operations require strict safety precautions such as lifeguards. Although the Rockaway Beach community 244 has struggled with the continuing lifeguard short- Athletic felds age that leads to closed areas of the beach, the Parks 316 Department recruited a record number of lifeguards Basketball courts in 2008, nearly hitting their target. 805 Four non-profit partner groups fundraise for Greenstreets Queens parks, in addition to 10 groups that raise money to support parks citywide. 10 Pools

Queens Park Staffing 20 Gardeners & Assistant Gardeners 236 City Parks Workers At left: Austin Playground, Jamaica & Associate Park Above: Astoria Park, Astoria Service Workers 61 Queens has the 2nd lowest percentage of land devoted to parks of the fve boroughs. Park Supervisors Queens Citywide Park acreage 7,321 29,000 19 Recreation Directors & Percent of borough devoted to parks 11% 14% Specialists Queens has the 3rd highest number of residents per acre of parkland of the fve boroughs. 5 Total population 2.2 million 8 million Playground Associates Residents per acre of parkland 305 276 28 Queens has the 2nd lowest tree canopy coverage of the fve boroughs. Parks Enforcement Patrol Tree canopy (trees on public and private land) 20% 24% (PEP) Offcers & Urban Park Rangers Number of street trees per mile of sidewalk 49 41 Alley Pond Park, Oakland Gardens Queens City Council District 23 00.5 1Miles

CLEAR

254 ST

VIEW EXPRESSW Bayside AV

170 ST District Statistics ALE ON AV DEEPD CROCHER Auburndale a c r e a g e o f c i t y p a r k s

256 ST Total district acreage 6,954 AY

193 ST 19 Total parkland acreage 1,148 A THERN BL UBURND NOR OAKLAND LAKE Percent City parkland Parks & playgrounds acreage 989 47 AV CLO of total district acreage Percent parkland 17%

ALE LA VERD 18 Citywide 14% ALE BL

167 ST AV 208 ST 53 13 65 AV 8 12 Ranking of City parkland p o p u l a t i o n HOLLIS COUR 17 acres/resident Population 153,079 GRAND CENTRAL PY (1=highest, 51=lowest) 50 AV T BL Population under 18 33,524 FRANCIS LEWIS BL 20 21 Percent under 18 22% Oakland Gardens 14 COMMONWEAL 1 15 19 6 Acres parkland per 1,000 residents 7 56 AV Ranking of City parks & 20 11 LANGD playgrounds acres/child Acres parks & playgrounds per 1,000 children 30 22 215 ST TH BL 5 ALE ST l a n g u a g e a c c e s s CD 23 Citywide 69 AV Most common foreign language spoken at home Spanish Spanish 59 AV 2 23 267 ST 3 CR Percent of homes speaking this language 9% 18% OSS ISLAND P AV 77 AV 16 83 260 ST AV 10 Y 83 RD KINGSBUR Hospital 249 ST c i v i c e n g a g e m e n t CD 23 Citywide

WINCHESTER BL ARKW Registered voters 78% 76% 253 ST Utopia 181 ST TP 4 UNION AV AY Number general parks-related Floral Park Fresh Meadows 6 24 311 calls per 1,000 residents 25 10 ONGHURST 23 254 ST Number of parks-related 311 calls for maintenance STR Bellaire 25 SPRINGFIELD BL per 1,000 residents 1 1 BRADDOCK 9 AV Bellerose Hillcrest p a r k r e s o u r c e s YMAN ST CD 23 Citywide L Does not include capital funding allocated to multiple districts or citywide. 24 7 26 District-specific capital funding, 2004–2009 $4.6 million $4.2 million 16 215 ST 7 ST AV Nassau County 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 St. John’s UGHLIN AV 93 RD AV P Holliswood A Results of the Parks Department’s internal inspections. University MC LA ALO KENO Jamaica Estates HOLLIS COUR 8 208 ST AL JAMAIC FY 2004 FY 2008 CHEVY CHASE ST TO Queens Village 100 ST

EDGER 80 94% 221 ST HENLEY RD AV 88% 88% T BL 86% 91 60 T WN ST ON BL HEMPSTEAD 40

191 ST rated

cent parks Jamaica Hills HOMELA AV CR 20 “acceptable” Hollis OSS ISLAND PY r Pe 210 ST 0

166 ST CD 23 Citywide 219 ST 165 ST 27 AV 88 200 ST 170 ST 87 RD AV o p e n s p a c e CD 23 Citywide 160 AV 18 1 89 AV WELL V 3 RD 90 1A BA Number of community gardens per 1,000 acres <1 4 From Queens Community Board 13: Vacant lot acreage 38 8,512 LEGEND nn DPR community gardens Parks, playgrounds Percent vacant 1% 4% 1/2 Mile nn Other community gardens and beaches Council District Border nn DPR beaches h e a l t h Number of hospital admissions per 10,000 residents: CD 23 Citywide We are specifically requesting 1 Saul Weprin Playground 14 Alley Pond Park nn New York City Department of nn State and federal parkland Parks and Recreation (DPR) Asthma 12 31 2 Holy Cow Playground 15 Alley Park nn City-owned vacant land ‘‘ parks, playgrounds and Diabetes 3 11 permanent assignment of more 3 Kissena Corridor East 16 Alley Park Athletic Field Q DPR schoolyards-to- greenstreets 4 Farm Playground 17 Douglaston Park playgrounds sites city parks workers...We are re- nn DPR natural areas e d u c a t i o n CD 23 Citywide 5 Seven Gables Playground 18 Challenge Playground (Schoolyards-to-playgrounds is a citywide PlaNYC initiative Percent fourth graders meeting standards in math 91% 81% questing additional funding for 6 Cunningham Park 19 Queens Farm Park to open schoolyards to the public during afterschool hours.) Percent fourth graders meeting standards in reading 78% 63% personnel, equipment and con- 7 Mclaughlin Playground 20 Castlewood Playground 8 Bellaire Playground 21 Tenney Park tracts that include maintenance 9 Grand Central Parkway 22 Playground 80 and operation of parks. 10 Telephone Playground 23 Hillside Park 11 Tall Oak Playground 24 Bellerose Playground 12 Oakland Gardens 25 Gunn Park 13 Linnaeus Playground 26 Breininger Park ’’ Statement of Needs for Fiscal Year 2008 Tools for Action Let your elected officials know how important parks are to you. City Council Member: David I. Weprin [email protected] Queens Community Board 8 (718) 264-7895 Queens Community Board 11 (718) 225-1054 Queens Community Board 13 (718) 464-9700 City of New York 311 or www.nyc.gov State and Federal Representatives www.elections.state.ny.us New Yorkers for Parks www.ny4p.org Farm Playground, Fresh Meadows Alley Pond Park, Oakland Gardens Breininger Park, Bellerose

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

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

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

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

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