Our parks system is in crisis. Mayor Adams has already cut the NYC Parks budget by 5%, resulting in a hiring freeze, the loss of staff, and the delay of critical parks programs.
On top of this, Parks has lost an additional 1,450 workers who were employed through the Human Resources Administration. These workers represented 47% of the cleaning workforce responsible for maintaining our city’s nearly 2,000 parks.
The situation for New Yorkers is dire. Parks which were once cleaned five times a week will now be cleaned once a week. 17,000 trash cans will be overflowing with garbage. Bathrooms, if open, will be virtually unusable.
On top of this, the mayor has proposed an additional 5-10% cut in January, while many other agencies are exempt. The plan for these cuts is being drawn up as we speak, necessitating urgent action.
Here’s what you can do:
- Send a letter to the mayor saying No More Cuts to Parks.
- Submit written testimony and share with your City Council Member.
- Post on social media to spread the word.
The Park Service urges you to tap your networks, friends and community to help save NYC parks.
The Park Service knows that these cuts will include drastic reductions to seasonal staffing, making it impossible for the agency to ensure that our parks are safe and clean for New Yorkers. This combined loss of staffing and resources will devastate an agency which has historically received more than its fair share of budget cuts.
These reductions will dismantle the already burdened workforce responsible for maintaining these vital spaces. Additional cuts will delay the activation of water and cooling features across 5,000 parks and playgrounds, including 3,400 drinking fountains and 850 sprinklers, critical for residents in the city heat.
The agency will be unable to deliver essential services: unable to pick up trash, care for the hundreds of ball fields, maintain and operate the city’s beaches and pools, or safely discard the tens of thousands of hypodermic needles it collects annually. This is not the parks system New Yorkers deserve.
Once again the Park Service ask you to take action and share with your friends and neighbors.
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