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TESTIMONY

Negin Farsad, Representative of Friends of Tompkins Square Park, on the Importance of Parks and the Impact of Budget Cuts

5:25:42

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107 sec

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Farsad testifies about the crucial role of New York City parks as community spaces for families, recreation, nature access, and memory-making, highlighting personal experiences at Tompkins Square Park. She emphasizes parks' vital role in combating climate change through greenery and cooling effects. Farsad expresses concern over diminishing park budgets and urges the council to restore and increase funding to maintain a clean, green, and resilient park system.

Shares personal stories about cherished park experiences like her daughter's first swing ride and her husband's marriage proposal
Underscores parks as foundational spaces for New Yorkers, offering nature access and respite from urban life
Highlights parks' environmental benefits in mitigating climate change through vegetation and cooling effects
Advocates for restoring and boosting park funding to ensure proper maintenance and environmental stewardship

Negin Farsad

5:25:42

Hi.

5:25:43

I'm Nagine Farstad representing the Friends of Tomkins Square Park in the East Village, and we're also a part of the play fair for Park's coalition.

5:25:51

And like most of us here are really concerned about the budget cuts because parks in New York City are so many things I mean, I know I use my park between 1:35 times a week.

5:26:02

And I know that it for my family, Like a lot of us in here, it's our backyard, it's our fun, it's our access to nature, it's where we build memories.

5:26:11

I know I'm not the only who my daughter, for the very first time, went on a swing in Tomkins Square Park.

5:26:17

My dog went to the dog park for the first time in Tomkins Square Park.

5:26:21

And and I don't mean to get too sentimental here, but my husband told me he loved me in a New York City park, Carl Scherz for anyone who wants to know what the romantic vibes are there.

5:26:32

Now parks are they're foundational for New Yorkers, and besides all of the no three-dimensional city life that it gives us.

5:26:39

It's also our first line of defense for the flight the fight against climate change.

5:26:45

And I know that sounds like Really big, but it's absolutely the case.

5:26:49

It's a lot for these parks to shoulder, you know, with a limited budget, keeping them green, growing the right plants, means keeping the city cool and breathable, which will help us fight against a rapidly warming planet.

5:27:02

You know, we and Tomkins Square Park take our role as environmental stewards of the park very seriously, and it's so upsetting when we see those funds diminishing over time.

5:27:13

So for all the New Yorkers out there, the parents, the kids, the athletes, the green thumbs, the future lovebirds, I really I beg of you to restore the park funding and not only restore, but, like, let's go above.

5:27:25

And so we can have a clean green and resilient park system.

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Dilcy Benn, President of Local 1505, DC 37, on Restoring Park Worker Positions and Improving Working Conditions

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Ralph Baselice, Vice President of Local 983, on Staffing Shortages in NYC Parks Enforcement and Maintenance Roles