De Blasio Announces Community Parks Initiative To Improve City Parks System
NEW YORK(CBSNewYork) -- Grammar school students at PS-20 in Flushing gave Mayor Bill de Blasio a mandate on Tuesday.
"Do you want us to spend more money on parks?" the mayor asked.
The question elicited cheers from students as the mayor unveiled a plan to provide nearly $200-million in funding to restore and replenish city parks, 1010 WINS' Juliet Papa reported.
"In many low-income neighborhoods parks have languished without the support they deserve," the mayor said.
The goal of the Community Parks Initiative is to build a more inclusive and equitable park system. It will begin by targeting 35 community parks with capital investments of $130-million that will promote the full recreation of parks.
"From children and parents to athletes and students, every New Yorker deserves access to clean and safe public parkland—no matter what neighborhood they live in. The Community Parks Initiative reaffirms our administration's commitment to the creation and maintenance of vibrant parks and public spaces in all five boroughs," said Mayor de Blasio. "Through targeted investments and programming, we will engage New Yorkers by re-creating parks in communities that need open space improvements the most. This is a framework that will address system-wide needs for park equity with solutions that have lasting and resilient results for our city's neighborhoods."
The initiative will also target 55 neighborhoods across the city and reach some 220,000 New Yorkers, according to a release from City Hall.
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