Bronx Holds Forum on Parks Funding

For over three decades, the Bronx Parks Speak Up has served as a crucial platform for community activists to engage directly with city officials. First held in 1995 by the Bronx Council for Environmental Quality and other local groups, the event was designed to organize community efforts and create a shared calendar of park events. Over the years, it has grown to draw hundreds of residents and has been instrumental in the formation of advocacy groups like the Bronx River Alliance. This year's forum at Lehman College features workshops on critical issues like climate change, access to open space, and the future of the urban forest. Specific sessions include discussions on the NYC Green Fund, the Harlem Riverfront Greenway Plan, and a public input workshop for an access study of Pelham Bay Park. The event is sponsored by Con Edison with support from Partnerships for Parks. The central theme of funding the future is particularly timely. Advocates from the Play Fair Coalition, which includes groups like New Yorkers for Parks, have been pushing for the city to allocate 1% of its total budget to the Parks Department. Despite campaign promises, the department's budget has hovered around 0.6%, a significant drop from the 1.4% it received in the 1960s. This funding gap disproportionately affects the Bronx. A 2022 report highlighted that between 2019 and 2020, the Bronx saw a 5% dip in overall park cleanliness, a steeper decline than in Manhattan where private conservancies provide substantial financial support. For example, while Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx garnered just under $800,000 in private donations and public maintenance funding in a recent year, Central Park received roughly $63.5 million, primarily from its conservancy. The economic stakes are high. A study by the Trust for Public Land found that New York City's parks generate $9.1 billion in annual recreational value and contribute to $17 billion in tourism spending. Proximity to parks can increase property values, adding an estimated $15.2 billion to the value of homes within 500 feet of a park. Health and environmental benefits are also significant. The city's trees, managed by the Parks Department, provide an estimated $681 million in annual environmental and health benefits. Research also shows that creating green spaces, such as by decking over parts of the Cross-Bronx Expressway, can lead to long-term health benefits and economic savings for the community.