FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, September 25, 2025
CONTACT: press@ny4p.org
New Yorkers for Parks Releases “Parks 2030” Platform with 400+ Member Play Fair Coalition Urging Next Mayor to Usher in New Era for City’s Parks System
New York, New York (September 25, 2025) — New Yorkers for Parks (NY4P) and the Play Fair for Parks Coalition (Play Fair) today announced the release of a new platform, Parks 2030. As New Yorkers reckon with record economic inequality, extreme heat and flooding, and declining quality of life, Parks 2030 outlines a comprehensive policy shift to prioritize the city’s 30,000+ acres of parkland and calls on the Mayor and City Council to reverse decades of underinvestment.
Play Fair – which includes more than 400 local and citywide organizations and was cofounded by NY4P, the New York League of Conservation Voters and city union DC37 – has led the charge on the “1% for Parks” campaign for over a decade. Yet despite widespread support in the City Council for ensuring the Parks Department is allotted 1% of the city’s annual budget, City Hall has failed to act on Mayor Adams’s repeated promises to deliver on this commitment. Instead, during the Adams administration NYC Parks funding dropped to its lowest percentage of overall city spending in over a decade. Today only 65% of city parks meet the agency's own standards for cleanliness, safety, and accessibility—with neighborhoods in the outer boroughs faring the worst.
Conceived in partnership with advocates across the city, Parks 2030 reinforces Play Fair’s call for increased annual city funding through realizing “1% for Parks” within a new, complete policy framework meant to guide the city’s next mayoral administration. Highlights include calls to:
Ensure NYC Parks has a thriving park workforce in every neighborhood, including an expanded Urban Park Rangers and Parks Enforcement Patrol corps
Dedicate new funding mechanisms such as expanded concessions, sponsorship, and venue surcharges with fees returning to NYC Parks to be allocated equitably across the system
Build new parks, including at least one new 20-acre park in every borough so all New Yorkers have five minute walking distance access
Reform the city’s capital process to cut the red tape around byzantine contract requirements that stymie repairs and growth, following through on Mayor Adams’ Capital Process Task Force’s recommendations to adopt new project delivery tools for faster cost-effective construction
Invest in parks as the city’s first tool in climate change mitigation, including achieving the Urban Forest Plan’s goal of 30% tree canopy coverage by 2035
The full Parks 2030 platform is available here with additional specifics around each recommendation.
“Parks are crucial to life in New York City. They bring joy to families, connect neighbors, and strengthen communities. At a time of growing inequality, climate threats, and declining quality of life, our parks must be treated as critical infrastructure. Yet decades of underfunding have left too many neighborhoods with unsafe, neglected open spaces. The next mayor has a chance to change course by committing to Parks 2030, building the best parks system in the country and delivering the quality of life New Yorkers deserve,” said Adam Ganser, Executive Director, New Yorkers for Parks.
Elected officials across the city have been vocal in their support of a more robust posture toward addressing problems in the city’s parks system, many of which are in a state of disrepair and many of which, especially those in lower-income areas, are woefully neglected.
"I'm proud to support the Parks 2030 platform. As Chair of the Parks Committee, I've seen firsthand what it's looked like for Mayor Adams to fail to deliver on his commitment to 1% for the parks budget: parks workers' jobs in flux and New York's parks and green spaces not being used to their full potential. In a city starved of greenspace, New Yorkers for Parks and our broad coalition of advocates are coming together to urge the next Mayor of New York to see how important our parks and greenspace are to the beauty and joy of the City we all love,” said Council Member Shekar Krishnan, Chair of the NYC Council’s Committee on Parks & Recreation.
"Parks are essential infrastructure and a lifeline for our children, seniors, and every New Yorker seeking relief from heat, a safe space to gather, or simply a breath of fresh air. For too long, parks have been treated as an afterthought in the city’s budget. Chronic underinvestment has tangible consequences for our families in the Bronx when it comes to public health outcomes and climate resilience. Prioritizing NYC Parks funding is about fairness and equity and ensuring that all communities have the same access to clean, safe, vibrant open spaces. Now is the time for a comprehensive new plan and I'm proud to support the vision outlined in Play Fair's Parks 2030 platform,” said Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson.
“All New Yorkers deserve access to safe, well-maintained, and welcoming open spaces. Dedicating 1% for Parks means providing the resources NYC Parks needs to fully staff and care for open spaces across the city – especially the many often neglected community parks in lower-income areas. In a city dealing with extreme inequality and the impacts of climate change, parks are not disposable luxuries but vital democratic spaces for healthy communities and we need to fund them as such,” said Council Member Rita Joseph.
“The time is now to reverse the chronic underfunding and understaffing that has left so many parks in Brooklyn and across the city in a state of disrepair. Our parks are our backyards. They protect us from climate change, they make our communities more prosperous, and they create essential space for gathering with our neighbors when that opportunity for shared connection and experience is urgently needed. I’m proud to support the Parks 2030 platform,” said Council Member Shahana Hanif.
Advocates across sectors have also been crucial in voices in the development of the Parks 2030 platform and vocal in their support as a guide for the city’s next mayor.
“At a time when our city faces growing challenges — from climate change to inequality — we need bold leadership and investment to ensure that every neighborhood has clean, safe, and thriving parks. That is what the Parks 2030 platform calls for, and that is what New Yorkers deserve,” said Morgan Monaco, President, Prospect Park Alliance, and Merritt Birnbaum, President & CEO - Riverside Park Conservancy, Co-Chairs of Parks and Open Space Partners.
“Our DC 37 in Parks are the backbone of our city’s parks system, caring for 1700+ parks, trees, gardens, recreation centers, pools, bathrooms and more, keeping New Yorkers informed and safe in these green spaces. Yet we continue to be under-resourced, making it difficult to provide the services New Yorkers deserve. Parks 2030 is an ambitious and forward-looking platform. DC 37 calls on the mayor and the City Council to invest in our parks and the workforce that makes our city great.” said Henry Garrido, executive director of District Council 37.
“Parks are essential spaces for recreation and they serve as critical infrastructure to protect our communities from flash floods and offer relief from rising temperatures, yet for far too long they have been chronically underfunded. New York City’s next mayor has the opportunity to lead a rebirth of our parks system, ensuring that the city’s green spaces are not only maintained, but thriving. Parks 2030 is at once a bold vision of what a world-class parks system can look like, and a practical roadmap for city leadership to follow so that every New Yorker has access to clean, safe, and vibrant parks,” said Alia Soomro, Deputy Director for City Policy, New York League of Conservation Voters.
“Parks are essential to what makes New York City livable and lovable — boosting public health, strengthening our economy, and bringing people together. The best NYC mayors have invested in the parks New Yorkers cherish. Our city needs vibrant and well-kept green spaces where every New Yorker can roam, connect with nature, and thrive. Trust for Public Land is proud to support the Parks 2030 platform, and we call on the next mayor to do the same,” said Tamar Renaud, New York State Director, Trust for Public Land.
"The Natural Areas Conservancy is proud to support the Parks 2030 platform. The next administration has the opportunity to make meaningful investments in our natural areas and parks, and this platform offers an achievable roadmap for a world-class park system," said Andrew Wallach, interim executive director of the Natural Areas Conservancy. "Increased investment in our parks and natural areas will create meaningful green jobs for New Yorkers, while also increasing the health and resilience of our urban forests and wetlands. We stand in support of our colleagues in the Play Fair coalition in calling on the next administration to prioritize parks and green spaces for the good of all New Yorkers,” said Emily Walker, Senior Manager of External Affairs, Natural Areas Conservancy.
"New York City’s public parks are more essential than ever, yet they’ve suffered from chronic underfunding and the need for a bolder, more ambitious vision. Parks 2030 lays out a smart, forward-looking plan to change that—revitalizing the city's parks across all five boroughs, expanding access in underserved neighborhoods, and advancing creative solutions to secure sustainable new funding streams,” said Jonathan Bowles, Executive Director, Center for an Urban Future.
“It’s no mystery why the communities that lack access to abundant and healthy parks and green spaces are the same communities disproportionately impacted by air pollution, extreme heat, and stormwater flooding,” explained Lonnie J. Portis, Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs at WE ACT for Environmental Justice. “That is why we support the call for the next Mayor and City Council to address these inequities, and committing funding to support parks – especially in communities of color and low-income, where the need is the greatest – is a good first step,” said Lonnie Portis, Director of Policy & Legislative Affairs, WE ACT for Environmental Justice.
"Nearly 30% of New York City's coastline is owned and operated by the Parks Department. Not only are these special places for recreation and public waterfront access, but they are often the first line of defense from coastal storms and tidal flooding. Waterfront Alliance is proud to support the comprehensive Parks 2030 Platform and the Play Fair Coalition's bold vision for our most beloved public spaces," said Tyler Taba, Director of Resilience at Waterfront Alliance.
“CB6 has long supported New Yorkers for Parks, and Parks 2030 builds on why we have . Launching with the Daffodil Project and wildflower seed giveaway shows how vision and community action come together to build a greener, more walkable, and resilient city,” said Michael Racioppo, District Manager, Brooklyn Community Board 6.
About New Yorkers for Parks
New Yorkers for Parks (NY4P) is the citywide independent organization championing quality parks and open spaces for all New Yorkers in all neighborhoods. For over a century, NY4P has led the movement to protect, invest in, and celebrate New York City’s parks.
About Play Fair Coalition
Play Fair for Parks is an advocacy campaign and 500+ member coalition calling for #1Percent4Parks and elevating parks issues citywide. New Yorkers for Parks co-founded Play Fair along with the New York League of Conservation Voters and District Council 37, the NYC Parks workers’ union.