BRONX Bedford Park, Fordham North, Belmont, CITY East Tremont, Claremont, Bathgate, Van Nest, COUNCIL 2009 DISTRICT 15 Morris Park, Westchester Square, Crotona Park East 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. SHOWCASE : Crotona Park Until 2006 the City did not spe- cifically 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. The program was recently expanded to include 30 parks, one of which is Crotona Park. New Yorkers for Parks is the only place where the Ciccarone Park, Belmont public can access data on park The Bloomberg Administration’s physical barriers or crime. As a result, safety. Visit www.ny4p.org for more information. 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 fields 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 DOLLARS $300 OF $200 MILLIONS $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* FISCAL YEAR *2010 = Projected budget By the Borough: Bronx BRONX Parkland Alienation Park Inspection Program Ratings: Parks by the Bronx vs. Citywide (Percent rated acceptable) Numbers Although the Bronx has the most parkland of the Bronx Citywide five boroughs, much of that acreage is contained in 100% 2,596 Pelham Bay Park, at 2,766 acres the largest in the city. Acres of natural areas Bronx parks have been subject to two significant cases 90% of “alienation”: the taking of parkland for a non-park 191 use. In 2003, the City and State approved construc- Playgrounds 80% tion of a water filtration plant in Van Cortlandt Park, and in 2006, 22 acres of well-loved parkland 117 70% Comfort stations were alienated for a new Yankee Stadium. The Van 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Cortlandt Park case was high-profile and resulted in The Parks Department conducts 5,000 park inspections annually 374 mitigation funds for Bronx parks, but the alienation through their internal rating system, the Park Inspection Program. Drinking fountains at Yankee Stadium took place in only eight days with residents left in the dark. Both cases resulted in 144 soured relations between the City and the affected Athletic fields communities. Unfortunately, parkland can be legally 201 taken without public notification. The alienation pro- Basketball courts cess must be strengthened so that parkland in every borough can be preserved for New Yorkers. 436 Greenstreets Three non-profit partner groups fundraise for Bronx parks, in addition to 10 groups that raise money to 10 Pools support parks citywide. Bronx Park Staffing 27 Gardeners & Assistant Gardeners 216 City Parks Workers At left: Van Cortlandt Park, Van Cortlandt Village & Associate Park Above: Poe Park, Fordham Service Workers 52 The Bronx has the highest percentage of land devoted to parks of the five boroughs. Park Supervisors Bronx Citywide Park acreage 7,002 29,000 12 Recreation Directors & Percent of borough devoted to parks 26% 14% Specialists The Bronx has the 2nd lowest number of residents per acre of parkland of the five boroughs. 5 Total population 1.3 million 8 million Playground Associates Residents per acre of parkland 190 276 23 The Bronx has the 2nd greatest tree canopy coverage of the five boroughs. Parks Enforcement Patrol Tree canopy (trees on public and private land) 24% 24% (PEP) Officers & Urban Park Rangers Number of street trees per mile of sidewalk 37 41 Crotona Park, East Tremont 00.5 1Miles BRONX CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 15 O AL DEK E 211 ST From Bronx Community Board 6: BRONX RIVER District Statistics ACREAGE OF CITY PARKS E 210 ST Total district acreage 2,109 Bronx Community Board 6 asks VR PY EN NB Total parkland acreage 554 11 BX R Parks & playgrounds acreage 534 ‘‘that the City provide funds to continue JEROME PARK W 205 ST Percent City parkland RESERVOIR E 209 ST Olinville of total district acreage Percent parkland 26% B AINBRIDGE the restoration and rehabilitation of our Citywide 14% AV ARKSIDE PL 12 district’s numerous parks. We particu- E 204 ST P 15 AV Ranking of City parkland POPULATION GOULDEN acres/resident MAJOR DEEGAN EN SB Population 159,618 larly urge the city to ensure that funds TE Norwood (1=highest, 51=lowest) E MOSHOLU PY N AV Population under 18 54,937 E 204 ST are available to continue needed repairs UL AV PA Percent under 18 34% BRIGGS KINGSBRIDGE E 198 ST 16 Acres parkland per 1,000 residents 3 to the upper portion of the Belmont Ranking of City parks & W 195 ST AV playgrounds acres/child Acres parks & playgrounds per 1,000 children 10 OIR Playground; to install night lights at V * AV RESER Bedford Park LANGUAGE ACCESS CD 15 Citywide the Mapes Ball Field; to renovate the Kingsbridge Heights ATUR DEC Most common foreign language spoken at home Spanish Spanish W comfort stations at Webster Play- AV AV Percent of homes speaking this language 38% 18% ON ground; and to complete phase two of CREST * QUEDUCT A AV CIVIC ENGAGEMENT CD 15 Citywide 1 E 194 ST the Cook Farm in the Bronx project. Registered voters 66% 76% VIDSON ON RD DA E 190 ST AV ST Number general parks-related O B 311 calls per 1,000 residents 4 10 Fordham Fordham Number of parks-related 311 calls for maintenance University OLINVILLE Statement of Needs for Fiscal Year 2008 14 per 1,000 residents 1 1 E 187 ST E 191 ST PARK RESOURCES CD 15 Citywide ’’ AV 13AV Does not include capital funding allocated to multiple districts or citywide. ON 2 AV * LT UGER District-specific capital funding, 2004–2009 $6.3 million $4.2 million Parks, playgrounds WA PELHAM PY CR TIEBOUT 3 Belmont and beaches PARKS INSPECTION PROGRAM RATINGS T 4 Results of the Parks Department’s internal inspections. 1 Poe Park 12 Tremont Park 3 6 Pelham Parkway 5 AV FY 2004 FY 2008 2 Webster Playground 13 Stop & Go Playground 100 * * AV AV 3 Slattery Playground 14 Parking Lot 80 CRESCENT 88% 86% AV 82% 4 Webster Ave Community 15 Crotona Park UMONT 60 75% E 180 ST BEA 7 UGER Playground 40 BRAD 16 Farragut Playground rated CR cent parks 5 Washington Park 10 r 17 Prospect