b r o o k l y n c i t y Bushwick North, Bushwick South, Ocean Hill, c o u n c i l 2009 d i s t r i c t 37 East New York, Cypress Hills

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 : The Herbal Garden of East New York The Daffodil Project, a partner- ship between New Yorkers for Parks and the NYC Parks De- partment, was created as a city- wide beautifcation project and living memorial to September 11. Each year, thanks to the gener- ous donation of B&K Flower- bulbs, the two groups distribute hundreds of thousands of free daffodil bulbs for volunteers and community groups to plant in Irving Square Park, Bushwick New York City’s parks and open The Bloomberg Administration’s physical barriers or crime. As a result, spaces. In 2008 community mem- bers planted more than 1,000 PlaNYC is the first-ever effort to studies show significant increases in daffodils in the Herbal Garden of sustainably address the many infra- nearby real estate values. Greenways East New York. Visit www.ny4p. structure needs of New York City, are expanding waterfront access org for more information on The including parks. With targets set for while creating safer routes for cyclists Daffodil Project. stormwater management, air quality and pedestrians, and the new initia- and more, the City is working to tive to reclaim streets for public use update infrastructure for a growing brings fresh vibrancy to the city. population while addressing envi- ronmental concerns. Through ambi- New York City’s population is tious goals to increase access to parks projected to increase by one million and open spaces, New York’s fiscally new residents by 2030, and demand prudent administration affirms that for our 29,000 acres of parkland investing in parks is good business. will only grow. It is imperative that creative efforts to expand our open Park innovations have flourished in spaces continue—but perhaps more recent years. The creation of Hudson importantly, existing parks must be River Park and the revitalization of protected, maintained and adequate- Bryant Park allow access to areas ly funded to best serve current and that were previously off-limits due to future New Yorkers. City Council District Profiles City Council District Profiles Citywide

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Brooklyn Park Staffing 20 Gardeners & Assistant Gardeners 208 City Parks Workers At left: Herbert Von King Park, Bedford Stuyvesant & Associate Park Above: Lieutenant Joseph Petrosino Park, New Utrecht Service Workers 66 Brooklyn has the lowest percentage of land devoted to parks of the fve boroughs. Park Supervisors Brooklyn Citywide Park acreage 4,481 29,000 30 Recreation Directors & Percent of borough devoted to parks 10% 14% Specialists Brooklyn has the 2nd highest number of residents per acre of parkland of the fve boroughs. 13 Total population 2.5 million 8 million Playground Associates Residents per acre of parkland 550 276 27 Brooklyn has the 3rd lowest tree canopy coverage of the fve boroughs. Parks Enforcement Patrol Tree canopy (trees on public and private land) 21% 24% (PEP) Offcers & Urban Park Rangers Number of street trees per mile of sidewalk 45 41 Bushwick Playground, Bushwick brooklyn City0 Cou0.5 ncil 1Miles District 37

AV A K AN y T V ST A RA AV AV LU D 64 ST 9 ALENTINE PL N V ENGLISH KILLS F W VIEW 6 A OOD AV 74 DORA AV 60 PL COOK W ARD 29 AV AV 77 AV RUM ST ST NICHOLAS MARGARET PL E 67 AV Ridgewood AV 86 ST 68 ST District Statistics AV 82 ST 79 PUTNAM 76 ST CYPRESS 62 ST AV RD 72 ST a c r e a g e o f c i t y p a r k s WILLOUGHBY AV 34 O ST TO MOORE ST AV AV 69 ST CYPRESS HILLS ST OT CENTRAL AV Total district acreage 2,359 T ST LINDEN ST SHALER 82 ALMETT P HAR Glendale Total parkland acreage 91 KNICKERBOCKER T JEFFERSON ST CYPRESS Parks & playgrounds acreage 78 AV Percent City parkland AV 65 PL of total district acreage IR SENEC Percent parkland 4% AV VING WYCK LUTHER RD GREENE A AV OFF AV Citywide 14% AV 75 AV 39 p o p u l a t i o n AV 1 2 Ranking of City parkland STEPHEN ST AV Cypress Hills Cemetery 85 acres/resident Bushwick 30 85 RD Population 149,355 AV (1=highest, 51=lowest) DE KALB 3 78 ON ST Population under 18 50,046 HARMAN ST 80 RD FOREST PY WT MENAHAN ST 85 RD LA Percent under 18 34% DEXTER CT CENTRAL 41 Acres parkland per 1,000 residents <1 Ranking of City parks & VER PL AV 4 OBINSON PY * playgroundsA acres/child Acres parks & playgrounds per 1,000 children 2 VAN BUREN ST VE ST CLO 87 AV 89 O JACKIE R CYPRESS HILLS ST GR HANCOCK ST BUREN ST 88 ST l a n g u a g e a c c e s s C D 3 7 Citywide STUYVESANT 88 AV PA CORNELIA ST

TCHEN Most common foreign language spoken at home Spanish Spanish Cemetery of the 5 Evergreens 90 AV 84 ST WoodhavePercentn of homes speaking this language 36% 18%

RALPH AV BUSHWICK COOPER ST AV 6 c i v i c e n g a g e m e n t CD 37 Citywide AV ETNA ST CRESCENT ST 87 ST AV FORCE PILLING ST 82 ST Registered voters 66% 76% TUBE Cypress Hills 97 AV 14 SHEPHERD MARCUS GAR 36 Number general parks-related AV HALSEY ST EUCLID 311 calls per 1,000 residents 4 10 EL LEWIS 7 AV T BAINBRIDGE ST AV NOR TUR ST ON ST A AV 32 Number of parks-related 311 calls for maintenance DEC OSBY SIDE LINCOLN RALPH GH ST CR AV U AV 41 8 W AV per 1,000 residents 10 1 VEY BL 37 HENDRIX ST SUNNY OOD * B MC KINLEY UNCEY ST ARBEY ST CHA AV

77 ST AV AV 20 p a r k r e s o u r c e s CD 37 Citywide 12 V Highland Park GRANT HERKIMER ST FULTON ST AN SICLEN AV Does not include capital funding allocated to multiple districts or citywide. 13 WELLS ST LIBERTY EASTERN PY EX9 ATLANTIC AV District-specific capital funding, 2004–2009 $10 million $4.2 million

WK

AV Ocean Hill Broadway Junction 19 CR

AV Weeksville YS pS 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 T

OUGH 1 AL ST 21 DEAN ST City Line 81 ST Results of the Parks Department’s internal inspections. ARK'S AV CRESCENT ST * S CONDUIT FY 2004 FY 2008 AV CLEVELAND ST 100 AV KINGSBOR PROSPECT PL GLENMORE M AV DU East New York 80 LINCOLN 86% 88% STERLING PL ALO 10 AV 86% SHEFFIELD BLAKE S 60 AV 72% DUMONT BUFF 11 15 18 AV 40 LINCOLN PL rated

cent parks

V

ERMONT STERN PY AV AV 20 “acceptable”

BELMONT r Pe

S 42 T HO UNION ST AV 0 * BLAKE W

AV AV 17 CD 37 Citywide ARD LORING OY 16 Lindenwoo d TR AV * MILF o p e n s p a c e AV CD 37 Citywide LIVONIA B Y PL O NC Number of community gardens per 1,000 acres 19 4 From Brooklyn Community Board 5: Vacant lot acreage 55 8,512 LEGEND nn DPR community gardens Parks, playgrounds Percent vacant 2% 4% 1/4 Mile nn Other community gardens and beaches Council District Border nn DPR beaches h e a l t h 1 Bushwick Ballfields 12 Jackie Robinson Parkway nn New York City Department of nn State and federal parkland Number of hospital admissions per 10,000 residents: CD 37 Citywide … An attendant at each Parks and Recreation (DPR) Asthma 49 31 2 Rigdewood/Bushwick 13 George Walker Jr. Playground nn City-owned vacant land ‘‘ Youth Center parks, playgrounds and Diabetes 20 11 14 Highland Park Q DPR schoolyards-to- park at all times—this will greenstreets 3 Bushwick Playground 15 Grace Playground playgrounds sites nn DPR natural areas e d u c a t i o n CD 37 Citywide 4 Irving Square Park 16 Duke Park take care of many of our (Schoolyards-to-playgrounds is a citywide PlaNYC initiative Percent fourth graders meeting standards in math 77% 81% 5 Tiger Playground 17 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park to open schoolyards to the public during afterschool hours.) Percent fourth graders meeting standards in reading 53% 63% programming needs. 6 Evergreen Playground 18 Sutter Ave Ballfield 7 Rudd Playground 19 Sperandeo Brothers 8 Boyland Park Playground Statement of District Manager, 2009 9 Callahan-Kelly Playground 20 City Line Park 10 Houston Playground 21 Belmont Playground ’’ 11 Powell Playground

Tools for Action Let your elected officials know how important parks are to you. City Council Member: Erik Martin Dilan [email protected] Brooklyn Community Board 4 (718) 628-8400 Brooklyn Community Board 5 (718) 498-5711 Brooklyn Community Board 16 (718) 385-0323 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 Bushwick Ballfields, Bushwick Tiger Playground, Bushwick Evergreen Playground, Bushwick

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 37 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