Mayor Announces Citywide Community Parks Initiative

$130 million secured to invest in 35 under-resourced parks throughout NYC. On October 7, 2014, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Department of Parks & Recreation Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver announced a $130 million investment in 35 community parks throughout the five boroughs. This is the first phase of a multi-faceted program to support investment in the most under-resourced parks and communities, known as the Community Parks Initiative. The Mayor’s capital budget raised $110 million … <Read More>


Parks contests audit findings

Parks agreed to implement only some of the Comptroller’s 22 recommendations. The City’s Department of Parks and Recreation solicits and awards concessions to operate golf courses, tennis courts, restaurants, and food carts on City parkland. Parks oversees about 500 concessions, and generally follows the competitive sealed bids and competitive sealed proposals processes. Revenue from these concessions equal more than half of Parks’ budget for Parks programs and services. Concession revenues in Fiscal Years 2008, 2009, … <Read More>


Sale of 4 closed FDNY firehouses sparks controversy

Mayor’s Office agrees to create community committees to find new users. On April 9, 2007, the Planning Commission approved four applications by DCAS to sell four closed firehouses in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. The plan sparked controversy with residents, community boards, Borough Presidents Scott Stringer and Marty Markowitz, and Council Members Bill de Blasio and David Yassky, who argued that their districts needed increased FDNY services and, if the firehouses remained closed, only a community … <Read More>



City Breaks Ground on New Stapleton Waterfront Esplanade

On September 13, 2024, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced the ground breaking for the New Stapleton Waterfront, part of the City’s Staten Island North Shore Action Plan. The Staten Island North Shore Action Plan is a four-year plan that was announced in September 2023 by Mayor Adams and New York City Councilmember Kamillah Hanks. This $400 million investment aims to provide Staten Island’s North Shore with over 20 acres of public space, more … <Read More>


Council Releases Report on State of Park Restrooms

On September 5, 2024, the City Council released Nature’s Call, a report about the functionality and conditions of over 100 restrooms in city parks. The report followed an investigation led by the Council’s Oversight and Investigation Division in partnership with the Council’s Community Engagement Division and Parks Committee Chair Council Member Shekar Krishnan’s office. The report found that two-thirds of the inspected restrooms – or 68 out of 102 – were closed or had <Read More>