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AGENCY TESTIMONY
Vital Parks for All plan and initiatives for improving NYC parks
0:10:43
ยท
3 min
Commissioner Donoghue introduces the Vital Parks for All plan, a $3.2 billion initiative to improve existing park facilities, deliver new resources to underserved communities, and provide information to New Yorkers about their parks. The plan aims to create clean, safe, green, and resilient spaces supported by engaged citizens.
- The plan includes initiatives for expanding bathroom access, upgrading pools, expanding tree canopy, and promoting public safety.
- A digital map called Vital Parks Explorer was developed to provide information about neighborhood parks and their amenities.
- The plan emphasizes the importance of parks in addressing various urban challenges, including climate change and community building.
Susan Donoghue
0:10:43
Parks are essential and touch every facet of our daily lives.
0:10:48
Just as we invest in better roads and sewers, we must invest in our parks to help safeguard our city's present and future.
0:10:58
Unlike other forms of urban infrastructure, parks evolve and change over time, but their importance to New Yorkers remains consistent.
0:11:09
Our parks need to be clean and safe, green and resilient, and supported by engaged and empowered New Yorkers.
0:11:18
By creating clean and safe public spaces, we can make our communities more secure, providing young people with accessible outlets for fun and active play while giving neighbors places to connect, swap stories, and build community.
0:11:35
With green and resilient spaces, New Yorkers can experience all the health benefits, benefits, both mental and physical, of time out in the great outdoors, and our city will be better prepared to withstand the challenges of climate change.
0:11:52
And by engaging New Yorkers in the care of our shared green spaces, we can strengthen our civic community, counteract the loneliness crisis, and empower people of all backgrounds to advocate for the resources they need.
0:12:08
With all this in mind, in June of twenty twenty four, we released Vital Parks for All, investing in New York City's living infrastructure.
0:12:19
The agency's $3,200,000,000 plan to improve existing park facilities, equitably deliver new resources to underserved communities, and equip New Yorkers with the information they need to better enjoy, celebrate, and support their parks.
0:12:40
Through this plan, we are undertaking ambitious initiatives, expanding bathroom access, upgrading our citywide network of public pools, expanding our tree canopy, growing our greenways, promoting public safety, empowering grassroots action, and expanding recreation center access.
0:13:02
In conjunction with the plan, we have also developed the Vital Parks Explorer, a digital map available on our agency website that empowers New Yorkers with information regarding how their neighborhood compares to the citywide average on critical components of a Vital Parks system including dog runs, greenways, volunteer groups, park rule enforcement, and more.
0:13:28
Additionally, New Yorkers can get information about their local parks vital signs including a park condition score, recent investment, upcoming events, and volunteer opportunities.
0:13:42
This data can help New Yorkers better understand and appreciate the open space resources they have and better advocate for what they need.
0:13:54
We have been introducing New Yorkers to this new strategic framework and these new tools through various public events and briefings and we welcome the council's partnership in helping New Yorkers learn more about their park system.