[NY4P] Parks Platform 2013

NY4P Parks Platform 2013

www.NY4P.org/advocacy/parksplatform

Parks Platform 2013

OVERHAUL HOW THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS FUNDED.

1) The Parks Department should have its own discretionary capital budget.

Unlike many capitally driven agencies, the Parks Department does not have a meaningful discretionary budget to enable it to plan and budget for capital projects over time in parks citywide. Rather, the Department is reliant on discretionary allocations from City Council Members and Borough Presidents whose priorities may not align with those of the Department.
 ...

NY4P's Parks Platform 2013 is a set of policy recommendations we're asking candidates running for New York City office to endorse.

The Parks Platform 2013 white paper is available here. [PDF]
Please join our parks advocacy campaign by clicking here to endorse the Platform.

New York City Council Member Julissa Ferreras (District 21, Queens)

New York City Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer (District 26, Queens)

Queens Community Board 11

www.NY4P.org/_blog/News/post/parksrally

NY4P Rally for Parks and Community Gardens at City Hall! - Thursday August 15

Rally for Parks and Community Gardens 

at City Hall!

@NY4P

ny4p.org/advocacy/parksplatform 2013

ny4p.org/_blog/News//help-make-parks

• About Us

News

Rally for Parks and Community Gardens at City Hall!

Come to NY4P's rally at City Hall with the mayoral candidates!

Join New Yorkers for Parks and fellow open space advocates from every borough
as we call upon the Mayoral candidates to make parks and gardens an election-year priority.
We’ve invited the candidates to present their plans for the
city’s parks and open spaces on the steps of City Hall –
be the first to hear what they have to say about this important issue!
And bring your friends, neighbors, colleagues, family members –
anyone who cares about NYC's open spaces.

When: Thursday, August 15th at 11:00 AM
(Please arrive 15 minutes early to go through security.)
Where: City Hall Steps

The first 50 attendees before 11am will receive a free parks t-shirt! 
Please bring a sign with the name of your favorite park or garden – 
or come early to make one onsite!

Astoria Park Alliance Survey 2013

Astoria Park Alliance Survey
  2013

Visit us:
astoriaparkalliance.blogspot and “like” APA on facebook.

Let YOUR voice be heard and we look forward to hearing YOUR comments!!

HOW MANY TIMES A MONTH DO YOU VISIT THE PARK?


WHAT ARE THE 3 THINGS YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT ASTORIA PARK?


1.  
2.  
3. 
   

WHAT ARE THE 3 THINGS YOU LIKE LEAST ABOUT ASTORIA PARK?


1.  
2.  
3. 
   


WHAT FACILITIES WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE ADDED OR IMPROVED?

WHAT PROGRAMMING WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE ADDED OR IMPROVED?

DATE: _ _ / _ _ / 2013


  

Queens Borough President Forum on Sustainability [JHBG] [NYLCV EF] July 8 Monday

Queens Borough President Forum on Sustainability

Event:

The New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund and  Jackson Heights Beautification Group welcome you to the 2013 Queens Borough President Forum on Sustainability. This event is free and open to the public.

@NY4P  @nylcv  and  @JHBGNY

Monday, July 8 for a 2013 Queens Borough President Forum on Sustainability. Jackson Heights, Queens, NY  RSVP More info: tinyurl.com/QueensForum


Welcome to NYLCV EF's Calendar

www.nylcvef.org/newsroom/releases/1631

This year's election will usher in a new generation of elected leadership in New York City. In addition to three citywide posts, voters will elect four new borough presidents and a whopping 19 new members of the City Council this fall.

The forums will discuss parks & open space, public transit, waterfront development, and more.

Where exactly do members of this next generation of leadership stand on the critical sustainability issues facing the city -- issues like post-Sandy rebuilding, sustainable transportation, clean air and water, and waterfront development?

Throughout the summer, NYLCVEF will bring voters and candidates together to discuss these issues and more at a series of candidate forums. These free, non-partisan events will cover a wide range of sustainability concerns and allow voters to find out where the candidates stand, in their own words.

www.decidenyc.com/election-city/queens-borough-president/

www.decidenyc.com/two-nights-in-the-queens-bp-race/

NY4P Parks Platform 2013

www.ny4p.org/advocacy/parksplatform

Full report here [5pg Pdf]

NY4P  online petition endorsing the Platform

:

OVERHAUL HOW THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS FUNDED.

1) The Parks Department should have its own discretionary capital budget.

2) The Parks Department's maintenance budget should be increased, 
and funding for core functions should be baselined -
meaning automatically renewed - in its annual expense budget.

3) The Parks Department provides an essential city service and should be
staffed accordingly.

INCREASE THE TRANSPARENCY AND EFFICIENCY 
OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO ENSURE 
EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF RESOURCES.

4) The Parks Department should know the cost to maintain every City park, 
as well as the amount of public and private funding that supports each.

5) The Parks Department should adopt the best practices of other capital projects 
agencies to improve its own process.

6) Organizations in public-private partnerships with the Parks Department 
should report annual revenues, expenses and other critical financial 
information in a simple, consistent manner to be shared on the Department's website.

RESTRICT AND STRONGLY REGULATE THE PRIVATIZATION 
 OF PARKLAND.

7) Parkland alienation should not occur unless no other land is available 
to serve an essential public need.

8) State and local laws regulating parkland alienation should be strengthened
to require earlier and broader notification of alienation actions, and to
mandate acre-for-acre replacement of lost parkland.

INTEGRATE PARKS PLANNING INTO NEIGHBORHOOD, 
CITYWIDE AND RESILIENCY PLANNING.

9) Parks are part of a broad network of public spaces, and City agencies 
should collaborate to maximize neighborhood open space and citywide
environmental benefits.

10) The City should be more proactive in involving neighborhood residents 
in their parks, both as volunteer stewards and in planning for the future.



www.ny4p.org/advocacy/parksplatform

NY4P Town Hall

ny4p.org/
NY4P_Hosts_Park_Advocates_at_Election-Year_Town_Hall

Park Advocates Speak Out at NY4P Town Hall 

NY4P hosted more than 100 park advocates representing every borough at a town hall and facilitated break-out sessions on April 11 at the National Museum of the American Indian in Lower Manhattan.

Advocate feedback will help shape our election-year Parks Platform 2013, a set of open space goals.

“The 2013 election offers a great opportunity for advocates to help steer the direction of parks and open space policy, both at the citywide and local levels,” said NY4P Executive Director Holly Leicht. “That’s why we’ve convened those who know the system best – park users from every borough – to tell us their priorities.”

Leicht began the evening with a presentation of ten draft goals, encompassing

• Parks Department funding,
• parkland privatization,
• equitable park resource distribution,
• and the integration of park and neighborhood planning.

Advocates then met in small facilitated groups to discuss and prioritize the goals and suggest additions.

"We received thoughtful, well-informed feedback that is helping us reshape the platform," said Leicht. "New York City is fortunate to have so many knowledgeable and committed parks advocates."

NY4P Parks Platform 2013 will be released in May.