“Even in this wealthiest of American cities, fiscal austerity is too often the implicit mantra, as core government services remain starvation diets while wealthy institutions fatten themselves. That works well for the very well-off, and not so well for the rest of us.”
‘Let’s be clear: taking away resources from the Parks Department at a moment when the agency is still working hard to recover from another Covid-era budget cut in 2020 would be a severe mistake that leaves parks under-staffed, unkempt and unsafe.’
‘Mayor Adams can make New York City a global leader in the fight against climate change and transition to a green economy. His administration must advance environmental priorities that will make our city more sustainable, resilient, and equitable for future generations.’
The Central Park Climate Lab will start data collection this spring to examine how extreme weather could affect the park’s plants and wildlife.
The nearly 300-page report is the first waterfront plan since Superstorm Sandy, and comes at the end of a year in which the city was rocked by multiple severe weather events.
The newly-created Youth Sustainability Corps will expand the 200,000 square feet of green roofs overseen by the Parks Dept. — rooftops outfitted with features like native plants, hydroponic towers and bee hives — by 50,000 square feet.
“We already have large-scale natural areas across the city,” said Annel Hernandez, associate director of the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance. “But there is a mismatch with that and the number of jobs that are focused on this sector.”
The Row New York boathouse planned for Sherman Creek Park will have bathrooms in its locker rooms, available only to the individuals participating in the organization’s programming.
New Yorkers for Parks is doubling the reach of its annual Sept. 11 Daffodil Project to also honor those who’ve died from the pandemic. “COVID is not a single moment like 9/11. It’s this continuous shared tragedy, but we’re not able to be together in the same way,” the group’s director said.
The city is seeking public feedback that will help shape its first “Environmental Justice for All Report” planned for next year, looking at issues like water and air quality, waste management and access to green spaces.
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