Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Michael Schnall, Director of Government and Community Affairs at Brooklyn Botanic Garden
7:33:17
ยท
106 sec
Michael Schnall from Brooklyn Botanic Garden presented the Rooted in Accessibility Initiative, requesting $1,250,000 in funding for each of the city's botanical gardens to improve accessibility. The initiative aims to create accessible spaces, programming, events, signage, and provide staff training.
- The initiative is a joint effort with New York Botanic Garden, Queens Botanical Garden, and Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden
- There is currently no dedicated baseline funding for accessibility in the city's budget for botanical gardens
- The funding would support increased staff, programming, events for children and seniors, professional development, and improved signage beyond ADA compliance
Michael Schnall
7:33:17
Hi.
7:33:18
I'm Mike Schnall.
7:33:19
I'm with the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
7:33:21
I'm here with my Botanic Garden colleagues.
7:33:23
They'll introduce themselves.
7:33:25
I'm the director of government and community affairs of Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
7:33:28
And thank you for the opportunity to testify today.
7:33:30
Nowhere in the city's res o c c document is there a dedicated baseline source of funding for accessibility.
7:33:37
For the first time ever, Brooklyn Botanic Garden is joining New York Botanic Garden, Queens Botanical Garden, and Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden in seeking fiscal year 2026 support for our work to create accessible spaces, programming and events, signage and digital accessibility, training for staff, and vital resources to maintain and improve accessibility for all for all.
7:33:59
Our botanical gardens are essential, and they contribute uniquely to the city's ecosystem, culture, and community, and serve as vital and educational cultural hubs that enrich the urban experience.
7:34:11
Since there's no current single citywide initiative in the New York City budget that addresses the city's commitment to accessible botanical gardens, we're here today to present the Rooted in Accessibility Initiative, a new citywide initiative that would fund this, fund the gardens for $1,000,000, 2 hundred 50 thousand dollars each, to support the city's botanical gardens.
7:34:33
If this funding were given to us, it would provide, funding to increase the number of dedicated staff, increase dedicated programming, increase hosted events for children and seniors, improve and increase professional development for garden staff, and allow us to redesign and improve signage and wayfinding beyond the standard ADA compliance.
7:34:54
So we're here today to ask for your support, thanking you for the opportunity to testify, and we'd be happy to take any questions.
7:35:01
I'll pass it off to my colleagues.