b r o o k l y n c i t y East New York, Starrett City, Canarsie, Rugby, c o u n c i l 2009 d i s t r i c t 42 Remsen Village, Brownsville, New Lots

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 2008 Spotlight on Recreation is a new project of New Yorkers for Parks award-winning Report Card on Parks. This report examines the conditions of athletic felds, courts, and playgrounds in a ran- dom selection of neighborhood parks. Each outdoor recreation feature was inspected on three separate site visits, once each in June, July, and August to show the performance of these specifc features over the course of the summer. The basketball, handball, and tennis courts in Linden Park Linden Park, New Lots were surveyed for this project. The Bloomberg Administration’s physical barriers or crime. As a result, The courts scored above the citywide average. Visit www.ny4p PlaNYC is the first-ever effort to studies show significant increases in .org for more information on the sustainably address the many infra- nearby real estate values. Greenways Spotlight on Recreation: A Report structure needs of , are expanding waterfront access Card on Parks Project. 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- 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, Ice rinks Above: , 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 Waterfront Reclamation Park Inspection Program Ratings: Parks by the Brooklyn vs. Citywide (Percent rated acceptable) Numbers Brooklyn’s 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 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 Nehemiah Park, Brownsville 00.5 1Miles brooklyn City Council District 42

KNICKERBOCKER

AV IR AV VING GREENE AV From Brooklyn Community Board 5: Cypress Hills Cemetery District Statistics AV Bushwick 34 a c r e a g e o f c i t y p a r k s GREENE 30 Total district acreage 3, 944 IR VING OODBINE ST We require a full-time recreation W AV Total parkland acreage 305 34 Q Parks and playgrounds acreage 298 CYPRESS HILLS ST Percent City parkland ‘‘ HANCOCK ST ELDER specialist at Gershwin Park. of total district acreage Cemetery of the Evergreens TS LA Percent City parkland 8% CORNELIA ST Citywide 14%

RALPH COOPER ST BUSHWICK

RICHMOND ST 22 p o p u l a t i o n AV Ranking of City parkland Statement of District Manager, 2009 AV FORCE Cypress Hills acres/resident B Population 160, 983 ARBERR TUBE AV (1=highest, 51=lowest) 37 SHEPHERD AV Y CT Population under 18 50,313 PILLING ST EUCLID ’’ VERMONT AINBRIDGE ST DREW ST B

AV NOR Percent under 18 31% AV 32 LINCOLN

RALPH

W OOD 21 Acres parkland per 1,000 residents 2 SUMPTER ST ON AV Parks, playgrounds AV ARLINGT Ranking of City parks & AV AV Ocean Hill playgrounds acres/child Acres parks & playgrounds per 1,000 kids 6

AV V AV FUL AN SICLEN TON ST WELLS ST LIBERTY ALO

TT PL

and beaches FF PL ANCHON F N CONDUIT WK l a n g u a g e a c c e s s CD 42 Citywide

AV CHESTNUT ST 1 Newport Playground 16 Wilson Playground PRESCO Broadway Junction AV

MARCONI PL

LOGAN ST

AV PACIFIC ST Most common foreign language spoken at home Spanish Spanish

2 Nehemiah Park 17 Avenue J Playground ON BL BERRIMAN ST City Line OGA CRESCENT ST T 12 Percent of homes speaking this language 13% 18% 3 Floyd Patterson Field 18 Breukelen Park AV

SARA

THER GAST GLENMORE PROSPECT PL ASHFORD ST ALAB

MO 4 osborn Playground 19 Ethan Allen Playground LINCOLN

AMA AV c i v i c e n g a g e m e n t CD 42 Citywide SHEFFIELD AV VERMONT ST AV FORBELL ST 5 Brownsville Playground 20 Linden Park WA BELMONT DUMONT GLENMORE AV AV TKINS ST AV JUNIUS ST Registered voters 69% 76% 11 DUMONT AV 6 Livonia Playground 21 Jerome Playground AV BELMONT A East New York UTUMN Number general parks-related 7 Lion’s Pride Playground 22 Woodruff Playground POR 41 HOPKINSON 311 calls per 1,000 residents 6 10 HINSD * AV

T AV AL ST 8 Schenk Playground 23 Pink Playground PO LORING ALE ST WELL ST Number of parks-related 311 calls for maintenance AV SUTTER 10 PINE ST 23 ASHFORD ST AV AV per 1,000 residents 0 1 9 Elton Playground 24 78 ST LIVONIA MILFORD ST 8 9 FORBELL ST

BRIST 22

10 Linwood Playground 25 Leif Ericson Drive AV OL ST HENDRIX ST ALAB AV 6 EMAN G DUMONT HE CLEVELAND ST p a r k r e s o u r c e s CD 42 Citywide 11 Cypress Hills Park 26 Fresh Creek Nature Preserve AMA SHEPHERD 7 WY Does not include capital funding allocated to multiple districts or citywide. E AV * NEW JERSEY 94 ST 2 ONA ST MILFORD ST SA 12 Robert Venable Park 27 Gateway National R

OCKA STRA CKMAN ST AV 1 3 SPRING CREEK District-specific capital funding, 2004–2009 $2 million $4.2 million Recreation Area WA USS ST ALAB 13 Railroad Playground AV Y PY AV AMA FOUNT ANLEY 24 28 Canarsie Park ST Spring Creek 14 Remsen Playground Brownsville AV AV SCHENCK TS New Lots 20 21 AIN TT AV 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 LO AV 29 Bayview Playground E 98 ST NEW LO SHEFFIELD N AV MA AV 15 100% Playground RT AV Results of the Parks Department’s internal inspections. WO AV ALIA AV VAND 5 DE WITT AV TLANDS FY 2004 FY 2008 WILLMOHR ST B NEW JERSEY FLA 4 ANK ST 19 100 LINDEN BL LEGEND DPR community gardens AV OLD MILL CREEK nn AV 80 VIEW E 98 ST E 105 ST MALTA 90% 90% 42 SEA 88% 86% E 96 ST 1/2 Mile nn Other community gardens ST 60 A 18 AV E 101 ST V AV AN SICLEN Council District Border DPR beaches ALIA 40 nn rated AND GUT RD V cent parks E 88 ST B ARRA AV E 93 ST F AV New York City Department of 20 “acceptable” nn nn State and federal parkland E 105 ST

25 r Pe D AV HENDRIX CREEK Parks and Recreation (DPR) E 87 ST 13 AV 0 nn City-owned vacant land OEDERS E 98 ST E 106 ST parks, playgrounds and SCHR CD 42 Citywide REMSEN greenstreets Q DPR schoolyards-to- * AV

playgrounds sites E 58 ST 15 nn DPR natural areas o p e n s p a c e CD 42 Citywide E 92 ST 26 Canarsie 45 AV TLANDS 3 ST HORNELL LO Number of community gardens per 1,000 acres 11 4 (Schoolyards-to-playgrounds is a citywide PlaNYC initiative E 96 ST 17 FLA GUT RD to open schoolyards to the public during afterschool hours.) CONKLIN E 104 ST Vacant lot acreage 244 8,512 FARRA E 93 ST CHASE CT 14 16 J K FRESH CREEK BASIN AV AV Percent vacant 6% 4%

E 87 ST SKIDMORE LA 27 h e a l t h R OCKAWA Number of hospital admissions per 10,000 residents: CD 42 Citywide E 57 ST L CHURCH LA AV E 79 ST Y PY Asthma 50 31 E 76 ST 28 E 84 ST * Diabetes 19 11 N 29 AV E 77 ST T 1 ST e d u c a t i o n CD 42 Citywide E 92 ST E 87 ST

AERDEGA Percent fourth graders meeting standards in math 65% 81% P CANARSIE BEACH Paerdegat Basin Percent fourth graders meeting standards in reading 49% 63% PAERDEGA

RALPH T AV N AV

T 14 ST VIEW AV SEA E 72 ST K EX AERDEGA AV P K E 59 ST Georgetown E 53 ST PAERDEGAT BASIN

E 66 ST 46 E 58 ST T Pink Playground, City Line AV

E 67 ST V MILL LA AV E 70 ST Bergen Beach AV O E 64 ST

Tools for Action E 60 STMill Basin Let your elected officials know how important parks are to you. WK Y BIG FISHKILL CHANNEL AV S V OHIO AV City Council Member: Charles Barron [email protected] AV

Brooklyn Community Board 5 (718) 498-5711 EAST MILL BASIN Brooklyn Community Board 16 (718) 385-0323 E 57 PL ISLAND CHANNEL Brooklyn Community Board 17 (718) 467-3536 MILL BASIN Brooklyn Community Board 18 (718) 241-0422 AV

V STRICKLAND City of New York 311 or www.nyc.gov AV ARKANSAS DR MILL BASIN State and Federal Representatives www.elections.state.ny.us HORSE CHANNEL New Yorkers for Parks www.ny4p.org MILL BASIN Schenck Playground, East New York

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 42 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 Mark Sanders 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 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 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 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 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 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