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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Allie Ryan, Member of the Public, on Parks Department Funding and Maintenance
3:00:09
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Allie Ryan, a long-term East Village resident and parent, testified about the need for increased funding and staffing for New York City parks. She commended the committee chair for previous budget negotiations but emphasized the importance of dedicating 1% of the city budget to parks and restoring funding for union jobs.
- Called for full funding of Green Thumb to protect community gardens
- Highlighted the need for more PEP officers to address public safety and gang-related issues
- Emphasized the importance of pest control, particularly rat management in parks and with upcoming restaurant shed openings
Allie Ryan
3:00:09
Thanks.
3:00:10
Thank you.
3:00:11
Hello.
3:00:12
My name's Allie Ryan and I am here I'm a long term resident of the East Village and because of my children, I spend a little part of every day in a New York City park or a playground in Lower Manhattan and I am I biked by Sarah D.
3:00:30
Roosevelt Park on the way here and I see the trash as well.
3:00:36
I appreciate the City Council Committee on Parks for hosting this meeting every year.
3:00:42
This is not my first time and I also want to commend you, chairman Krishna because or Sheikhar Krishna, because I know last year you negotiated the highest percentage for the parks department, the parks department budget that we've seen yet, and I want to commend you for that.
3:01:02
But I also I know you're a parent too and you're in the parks as much as I am because our children are close in age.
3:01:10
But what I want to share is that I found it like we talk about the parks department being understaffed.
3:01:18
When I first started coming to this meeting, I wanted to talk about one thing but then I realized, no, I need to talk about the workers.
3:01:27
They're union jobs.
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It's not we're not asking we're asking to help people earn a living but also to take pride in their communities.
3:01:37
And not all parks have a conservancy attached to provide essential funding to ensure that the park is maintained and safe for all.
3:01:47
So I'm here today to call for the council members to hold the line and to dedicate 1% of the city budget to parks.
3:01:56
Fully fund Green Thumb, which symbolizes protection of the community gardens that enable families to grow food as well as outdoor community spaces.
3:02:07
Year round staffing, restore the funding for 700 union jobs.
3:02:13
I'm gonna just quickly wrap it up.
3:02:15
PEP need we need more PEP officers.
3:02:18
It's not just for public safety, but like in my neighborhood, it's because we have gang related gun violence and drug dealing.
3:02:27
Closing parks at midnight so parks can rest.
3:02:32
And then the biggest issue I think that's gonna be coming up is pest control, especially dealing with rats with because in, like, Tompkins Square Park, there are 197 rat burrs right now.
3:02:47
And the restaurant sheds are about to we're going to get new restaurant sheds opening April 1, So we do need to add more into the budget to deal with rats and pests.
3:03:00
Thank you.