Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Deborah Kirschner, Vice President of External Relations at Prospect Park Alliance
2:36:30
ยท
123 sec
Deborah Kirschner, representing Prospect Park Alliance and Parks and Open Space Partners, advocates for restoring cuts to the NYC parks budget and increasing funding to strengthen the park system. She emphasizes the critical role of parks as infrastructure for New Yorkers and the need for additional investment to maintain clean, safe, and welcoming spaces.
- Calls for an additional $65 million investment to strengthen the park system and restore 795 lost positions
- Urges the city to baseline funding to prevent yearly budget cuts
- Highlights increased park visitorship since the pandemic, creating more wear and tear while funding has not kept pace
Deborah Kirschner
2:36:30
Thank you, chair Krishnan and council member Brewer and the full committee for having us here today.
2:36:36
I'm Deborah Kirschner.
2:36:37
I'm vice president of external relations at Prospect Park Alliance, the nonprofit organization that operates Prospect Park in partnership with the city.
2:36:46
I am also on the advocacy committee of Parks and Open Space Partners, a citywide network of more than nonprofit organizations dedicated to stewarding and programming New York City's green and open spaces.
2:36:59
Together, we have a shared vision of an equitable and resilient park system for all New Yorkers.
2:37:04
I would like to thank you for holding today's budget hearing and giving members of the open space community a chance to share our perspective on how budget cuts impact our work and the public at large.
2:37:16
I am here today campaign to restore cuts to the park's budget, one of the only agencies not to see restoration of cuts made in the previous fiscal year, and to prioritize funding that recognizes how our parks and open spaces are critical infrastructure for all New Yorkers.
2:37:34
This includes an additional 65,000,000 investment to strengthen our park system and restore 795 lost positions.
2:37:43
These roles are critical to ensuring that our parks remain clean, safe, and welcoming spaces for our communities.
2:37:50
We also are urging the city to baseline this funding to prevent the yearly budget cuts that undermine our park system.
2:37:57
Prospect Park is truly a public private partnership.
2:38:00
We rely on the city to help with the day to day trash pickup and facility maintenance that keeps the park clean and safe.
2:38:07
This essential service is core to making Prospect Park a welcoming and accessible space for the diverse communities of Brooklyn.
2:38:14
Since the pandemic, visitorship to our parks has increased significantly.
2:38:18
In Prospect Park, we have seen a record number of visitors throughout the year, which has created significant wear and tear.
2:38:24
At the same time, the city has not kept up with this record use and its funding of parks in the city budget.
2:38:30
Now is a time where we need more, not less funding for our parks.