Lower East Side, East Village, Stuyvesant Town, m a n h a t t a n Cooper Village, Gramercy, Murray Hill, c i t y Kips Bay, West Village, Hudson Yards, c o u n c i l 2009 d i s t r i c t 2 Chelsea, Flatiron, Union Square

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 : Stuyvesant Square The Daffodil Project, a partner- ship between New Yorkers for Parks and the NYC Parks Department, was created as a citywide beautifcation project and living memorial to Sep- tember 11. Each year, thanks to the generous donation of B&K Flowerbulbs, the two groups distribute hundreds of thousands of free daffodil bulbs for volun- teers and community groups to plant in New York City’s parks Tompkins Square Park, East Village and open spaces. In 2008 PS 40 planted thousands of daffodil The Bloomberg Administration’s physical barriers or crime. As a result, bulbs in Stuyvesant Square. Visit PlaNYC is the first-ever effort to studies show significant increases in www.ny4p.org for more informa- sustainably address the many infra- nearby real estate values. Greenways tion on The Daffodil Project. 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: Manhattan

MANHATTAN Public-Private Partnerships Park Inspection Program Ratings: Parks by the Manhattan vs. Citywide (Percent rated acceptable) Numbers Manhattan’s parks are well-loved and well-used. Manhattan Citywide When New York City’s fiscal crisis of the 1970s 100% 671 resulted in a decline in park conditions, a new Acres of natural areas movement of private support through public-private 90% partnerships was born. Manhattan’s parks have ben- 209 efited significantly from groups like the Central Park Playgrounds 80% Conservancy and Madison Square Park Conservancy, which have brought innovative management and 130 70% Comfort stations additional funding to the parks. Every park along 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Fifth Avenue from Central Park to the Battery The Parks Department conducts 5,000 park inspections annually 576 benefits from private support and funding. through their internal rating system, the Park Inspection Program. Drinking fountains

Twenty-three non-profit partner groups fundraise 160 for Manhattan parks, in addition to 10 groups that Athletic felds raise money to support parks citywide. 215 Basketball courts 317 Greenstreets 22 Pools

Manhattan Park Staffing 33 Gardeners & Assistant Gardeners 237 City Parks Workers At left: Bennett Park, Washington Heights & Associate Park Above: Bryant Park, Midtown Service Workers 57 Manhattan has the 3rd lowest percentage of land devoted to parks of the fve boroughs. Park Supervisors Manhattan Citywide Park acreage 2,711 29,000 34 Recreation Directors & Percent of borough devoted to parks 19% 14% Specialists Manhattan has the highest number of residents per acre of parkland of the fve boroughs. 28 Total population 1.5 million 8 million Playground Associates Residents per acre of parkland 567 276 54 Manhattan has the lowest tree canopy coverage of the fve boroughs. Parks Enforcement Patrol Tree canopy (trees on public and private land) 13% 24% (PEP) Offcers & Urban Park Rangers Number of street trees per mile of sidewalk 49 41 Corlears Hook Park, Lower East Side manhattan City Council District 2 T

Tudor City AV 0 0.51 Miles ARK P From Manhattan Community Board 3: District Statistics

Murray Hill a c r e a g e o f c i t y p a r k s

AV Total district acreage 1,036 7 E 35 ST The open space/population ratio Total parkland acreage 102 ‘‘ is approximately 0.7 acres per Percent City parkland Parks & playgrounds acreage 94 of total district acreage Percent parkland 10%

1,000 people…. The open space AY Citywide 14% DW we do have is not evenly distributed OA 36 BR Ranking of City parkland p o p u l a t i o n 3 acres/resident Population 154,310 throughout the district…. Toilets S (1=highest, 51=lowest) AV E 28 ST Population under 18 17,733 Chelsea ARK in Community Board 3 parks and P 1 Percent under 18 11% 24 Acres parkland per 1000 residents <1 playgrounds are badly needed. Ranking of City parks & playgrounds acres/child Acres parks and playgrounds per 1,000 children 5

AS 2 l a n g u a g e a c c e s s CD 2 Citywide Statement of Needs for Fiscal Year 2008 AMERIC Flatiron E 23 ST THE Most common foreign language spoken at home Spanish Spanish OF Percent of homes speaking this language 15% 18% ’’ AV

c i v i c e n g a g e m e n t CD 2 Citywide Parks, playgrounds NW E 19 ST Registered voters 89% 76% ICH Gramercy

AV Number general parks-related and beaches 4 311 calls per 1,000 residents 5 10 1 Albano Playground 9 Dry Dock Playground 3 Number of parks-related 311 calls for maintenance 2 Bellevue South Park 10 El Jardin del Paraiso 2 4 F D R DR per 1,000 residents 2 1 3 union Square Park 11 Hamilton Fish Park p a r k r e s o u r c e s CD 2 Citywide 4 Peter’s Field 12 Wald Playground E 14 ST 5 Does not include capital funding allocated to multiple districts or citywide. 5 Stuyvesant Square 13 Baruch Playground AV 2 District-specific capital funding, 2004–2009 $2.4 million $4.2 million 6 Saucer Park 14 East River Park AV 7 Tompkins Square Park 15 Vladeck Park 4 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 Stuyvesant Town 8 McKinley Playground 16 Corlears Hook Park Results of the Parks Department’s internal inspections. FY 2004 FY 2008 100 C Greenwich Village AV 80 88% 92% 88% 86% LEGEND 60 nn DPR community gardens 40 1/8 Mile nn Other community gardens ST MARK'S PL rated cent parks

Council District Border 20 “acceptable” nn DPR beaches 6 r Pe nn New York City Department of nn State and federal parkland W HOUST East Village 0 CD 2 Citywide Parks and Recreation (DPR) E 5 ST nn City-owned vacant land ON ST A parks, playgrounds and AV o p e n s p a c e CD 2 Citywide greenstreets Q DPR schoolyards-to- playgrounds sites 7 Number of community gardens per 1,000 acres 48 4 nn DPR natural areas 9 Y Vacant lot acreage 13 8,512 (Schoolyards-to-playgrounds is a citywide PlaNYC initiative E 3 ST to open schoolyards to the public during afterschool hours.) WER Percent vacant 1% 4% BO 8 D h e a l t h AV Number of hospital admissions per 10,000 residents: CD 2 Citywide Asthma 27 31 10 Diabetes 10 11

e d u c a t i o n CD 2 Citywide Little Italy Percent fourth graders meeting standards in math 83% 81% Percent fourth graders meeting standards in reading 67% 63% 11 12 DELANCEY ST

ETTE ST Y FA Lower East Side 1 13

Tompkins Square Park, East Village Chinatown 14 Tools for Action Let your elected officials know how important parks are to you. City Council Member: Rosie Mendez [email protected] Manhattan Community Board 2 (212) 979-2272 15 EAST RIVER Manhattan Community Board 3 (212) 533-5300 16 Manhattan Community Board 5 (212) 465-0907 Manhattan Community Board 6 (212) 319-3750 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 Tompkins Square Park, East Village

33 WALLABOUT CHA

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