February 13, 2012 · www.gothamgazette.com |
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- Igor Kossov on Drawing the Line
- Igor Kossov on Bloomberg's Budget
- Sarah Crean on Ready to Frack?
- Jane C. Timm on Promises Kept
- Igor Kossov on Demanding Accountablity
Parks Archive:

City Rules Could Transplant Gardens
November 02, 2011 — Community gardeners fear city regulations could force them to till new fields and leave some of the green growing spaces unprotected.

Growing List of Park Rules Irks Some New Yorkers
July 01, 2011 — As New Yorkers clamor to go outside, the city has put new restrictions on what they can do when they get there.

Budget Cuts Could Beach Some City Swimmers
June 08, 2011 — Budget cuts could padlock four city pools this summer, leaving residents hot, dry -- and bored.

Trying to Create a More Permeable New York
May 19, 2011 — The Bloomberg administration not only wants a greener New York, it wants a more permeable one. Anne Schwartz reports how green infrastructure could cut costs and clean city waterways.

With State Parks at Risk, Advocates Seek New Funding Sources
December 20, 2010 — Last spring, an uproar saved endangered state parks. But the reprieve may have been temporary, with more parks now slated to reduce hours, lose staff -- or shut down.

Creating Open Space Takes Politics and Planning
July 22, 2010 — Despite a lack of money and land, New York and other cities have created open space in the last decades. A new book looks at how urban areas can provide more green amid the gray.

Pitting Parks Against Open Space
June 16, 2010 — State legislators were forced to choose between keeping popular parks open, on one hand, and preserving the state's wilderness and farmland on the other.

Dozens of Parks Would Close Under Paterson's Budget
March 30, 2010 — For the first time in its history, the state plans to shut parks. The governor's budget would close 91 parks and cut services in many more. Anne Schwartz looks at the likely effects.

Famed Scout Camp Threatened by Public, Private Budget Crisis
February 17, 2010 — Strapped for money, the local Boy Scouts may sell their storied camp on Staten Island -- just as the state seeks to divert funds intended for wilderness preservation to other uses.

Washington Considers Funding Parks to Rebuild Cities
November 30, 2009 — As Congress considers a bill to provide federal funding for urban parks, Washington seems to have learned a lesson from New York: Improved open space has the power to transform communities.

A Top-Down Program Creates More Parks
October 22, 2009 — Recognizing the importance of parks, the mayor has expanded and improved New York's open space -- but critics wish he had consulted more with communities along the way.

Staycationing in the City Parks
September 28, 2009 — New spaces, more concerts and programs for kids sent recession-weary New Yorkers flocking to parks this summer -- despite the rain.
August 11, 2009 — The city has created a new plan for the ball fields on Randall's Island. Critics, though, are calling foul.
August 10, 2009 — More people are taking to the water, but has our access really improved? Check out this and more in Gotham Gazette's series on all things waterfront.

National Parkland Not on Radar
August 10, 2009 — Our parks columnist explores the national parkland along the New York Harbor -- an area most New Yorkers have never heard of.

Good Parks Are Good for the Economy
June 24, 2009 — Along with providing relief from concrete and places for reflection and recreation, parks offer an array of economic benefits and can even save taxpayers money.

Yankee Stadium Is Opening but Not the Parks
April 13, 2009 — While the Yankees celebrate their new stadium, student and amateur athlete in the Bronx are still waiting for the new parks they were promised.

Budget Takes an Ax to Programs for Open Space
March 03, 2009 — While just about every area of state spending will take a major hit in next year's budget, the fund that provides money for parks and open space is set to bear a particularly heavy burden.

A Federal Stimulus for City Parks
December 22, 2008 — Advocates hope the Obama administration and its stimulus package will put urban parks back on the agenda as it moves to invest in a greener future.

From the West Side: A 'Roadmap' for City Streets
November 24, 2008 — A new proposal for the Upper West Side calls for more greenery, bike friendly streets, places to sit and slower traffic. But will residents agree to give up their parking spaces?
October 30, 2008 — The existence of a good park can enhance the value of property in adjacent areas. Now some advocates want to use part of that extra money to fund park programs.
From Parking Space to People Place
September 23, 2008 — In the year since the first National Park(ing) Day, New York City has stepped up efforts to transform roadways and parking spaces into plazas and parks.
Fighting the Asian Long-Horned Beetle
August 11, 2008 — The Asian long-horned beetle represents a major threat to Mayor Bloomberg's goal of creating a greener, leafier city.
July 28, 2008 — What are city beaches really like? Our audio slide show tours the shore from the Bronx to the Rockaways, as beach-goers weigh in on cleanliness, accessibility -- and jellyfish.
Keeping City Beaches Safe and Clean
July 21, 2008 —
The Future of Ridgewood Reservoir: Birds or Baseball?
July 18, 2008 — A former Queens reservoir, reclaimed by woods and wetlands, birds and dragonflies, lies at the center of a debate over parks planning in New York City.
April 02, 2008 — New York City parks today have far less crime than they once did, but police have not complied with a requirement that would tell all New Yorkers just how safe -- or dangerous -- their parks are.
Concerns Grow but the Grass Doesn't
February 29, 2008 — A growing number of critics question whether the city's move to replace grass with artificial turf could create health and environmental problems and make the warming city even hotter.
January 22, 2008 — The Giuliani administration’s plan for a golf course atop an old landfill in the Bronx has cost the city millions. Will it ever become a reality?
Creating People-Friendly Streets
November 30, 2007 — Can the streets of the Upper West Side become people places instead of car corridors? Anne Schwartz reports on a new campaign in the area that, coupled with PlaNYC 2030, could make calmer, greener streets a reality.
October 30, 2007 — The city has announced it will preserve New York’s last major unprotected wetlands, but Arlington Marsh could still face threats.
September 20, 2007 — Some New Yorkers have envisioned new uses for an often neglected public space – the thousands of square feet of curbsides now reserved for cars.
Reopening the 19th Century High Bridge
August 15, 2007 — A 19th century engineering marvel and tourist attraction is being restored as a park for 21st century New Yorkers.
Grading Neighborhood Parks 2007
May 23, 2007 — Conditions at New York City’s neighborhood parks vary widely, and overall, they are in worse shape than last year, according to survey by the group New Yorkers for Parks. The commissioner, however, calls the report card a case of “grade deflation.”
Protecting New York’s Wetlands
April 22, 2007 — Coastal areas, marshes, ponds and the like are key to New York City's rich ecosystem. But development and pollution threaten to wipe out many of these areas
Private Partnerships For Public Parks
January 29, 2007 — A deal to give 20 private schools near-exclusive use of much of the recreational space of Randall’s Island in exchange for funding is the latest controversy arising over an increasing practice – “the reliance on private organizations to support what traditionally has been a taxpayer-funded service.”
November 17, 2006 — Parks advocates expect Eliot Spitzer to continue his support for open space in New York City, while they hope the new Congress will increase funding for urban parks.
Yankee Stadium/Parks Exchange Underway
October 26, 2006 — Construction of Yankee stadium is on schedule, but, Anne Schwartz writes, “the building of the promised interim and replacement parkland has gotten off to a slower start. Now residents are wondering when – and if – the new parks will be built.”
Open Space in the Atlantic Yards Development
August 17, 2006 — Anne Schwartz looks at the plans for parkland and open space at the proposed Atlantic Yards development in Brooklyn, and at the debate over whether the open space lives up to the developer’s promise; whether it will be accessible to the public; how it will be managed; whether there will be enough.
Open Space in the AtlanticYards Development
August 16, 2006 — Anne Schwartz looks at the plans for parkland and open space at the proposed Atlantic Yards development in Brooklyn, and at the debate over whether the open space lives up to the developer’s promise; whether it will be accessible to the public; how it will be managed; whether there will be enough.
Open Space in the AtlanticYards Development
August 16, 2006 — Anne Schwartz looks at the plans for parkland and open space at the proposed Atlantic Yards development in Brooklyn, and at the debate over whether the open space lives up to the developer’s promise; whether it will be accessible to the public; how it will be managed; whether there will be enough.
July 17, 2006 — A 2002 agreement saved hundreds of cherished community gardens, but many others still face an uncertain future, endangered by New York's development boom and need for housing.
April 25, 2006 — This year, the mayor’s preliminary budget eliminates $14 million for 600 seasonal park employees, the entire street tree pruning effort, and an after-school program at the recreation centers.
March 21, 2006 — The taking of parkland for Yankee Stadium, Anne Schwartz writes, raises a number of issues involving the public health, the environment, and whether what the community is getting in return is a fair trade.
Protecting The Park In The Parkway
February 14, 2006 — Last year, a great stone wall in Washington Heights collapsed onto the Henry Hudson Parkway. Last month, a deal to restore the parkway collapsed as well.
January 27, 2006 — Anne Schwartz details a new law that, by requiring the police to report felonies that occur in city parks, will help make them safer – or at least let the public know how safe they already are.
Real Estate Developers Should Help Pay for Parkland
August 03, 2005 — Peter Harnik of the Center for City Park Excellence argues that New York City should require real estate developers to donate land or pay in-lieu fees to help governments acquire parkland.
Recreation for Youth In Short Supply
June 30, 2005 — Despite the growing body of research demonstration the need for organized recreation for youth, it is in short supply in New York City, says Anne Schwartz, who reports on the efforts to fill the gap.
May 19, 2005 — Anne Schwartz details the proposed budget for parks, which, advocates say, is less than the mayor promised.
Trees & Sidewalks Repair Program
April 15, 2005 — The city has begun a pilot program to fix sidewalks that have been damaged by tree roots – at no cost to the homeowner.
March 15, 2005 — A long-planned and fully-funded greenway bites the dust, to make way for a roadway that is unlikely ever to happen.
The Gates And The Water Filtration Plant
February 18, 2005 — Anne Schwartz contemplates “The Gates” in Central Park, and updates the water filtration plant in Van Cortlandt Park.
January 04, 2005 — The city’s plans for some parts of the “greenway” in Brooklyn undermine the whole purpose of it “as a park space and a safe corridor for bicyclists and pedestrians,” Anne Schwartz writes.
Turning The High Line Elevated Railroad Into An Unconventional Park
November 24, 2004 — “Against all odds, a crazy and impractical-seeming idea is rapidly becoming a reality,” Anne Schwartz writes, though the plans for the abandoned elevated railroad known as the High Line “are more like a work of modern sculpture than a traditional park.”
October 22, 2004 — The neighborhoods in the city with the most pollution, and the worst health, have the fewest trees. Anne Schwartz explains why this is not a coincidence, and what is being done about it.
$243 Million For Bronx Parkland? Who Will Decide?
August 19, 2004 — Park advocates fear that the decisions on how to spend $243 million in the Bronx - given in exchange for the building of a water filtration plant underneath Van Cortlandt Park - "are being made by politicians behind closed doors," writes Anne Schwartz.
The Filtration Plant In Van Cortlandt Park
July 23, 2004 — "The city is moving quickly to build a controversial water filtration plant in Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx," writes Anne Schwartz, while opponents say the whole affair sets a disturbing precedent that puts other city parks at risk.
Report Card On Neighborhood Parks
June 23, 2004 — Anne Schwartz previews the second annual report card on New York City's neighborhood parks - "a small improvement ... although a quarter of the city's parks still have failing grades."
City Parks And The Proposed Budget
May 20, 2004 — "In the discussion about whether the city should allow protesters to rally on Central Park's Great Lawn before the Republican Convention, one issue has been left out," Anne Schwartz writes. "Where would the money come from to fix the trampled grass and plants? "
April 20, 2004 — A look at the pluses and minuses of the Parks Opportunity Program, whose goals are to help New Yorkers get off welfare and also maintain the city's parkland.
How To Make An Excellent City Park System
March 26, 2004 — Money is not all that New York City’s parks could use more of, according to a new report. Anne Schwartz details the seven requirements for an excellent urban park system.
February 27, 2004 — Some 600 businesses pay $60 million to operate on parkland. A new audit says they aren't monitored enough; an old argument says the $60 million should go directly to the parks department.
Federal Funding For City Parks
January 20, 2004 — Anne Schwartz looks at federal funding -- or lack of it -- for city parks.
December 19, 2003 — Anne Schwartz looks at crime in the parks.
Three New Projects To Restore Or Build Parks
November 17, 2003 — Anne Schwartz reports on surprising good news for parks -- three big new projects, all announced within the past month, including an old gas tank that was slated to be a Home Depot.
October 17, 2003 — "There is still a long way to go before a continuous green path runs around the shoreline of Manhattan," Anne Schwartz writes. But the final link to a temporary waterfront greenway around Manhattan has just been completed.
September 22, 2003 — Anne Schwartz details the new Adopt-A-Park program, passed into law this month, which is intended to encourage private funding for a public bench, a tree, a playground, a whole park.
New Threat From Asian Long-Horned Beetle. Also: Van Cortlandt Park And The Water Filtration Plant
August 20, 2003 — Budget cuts for the program to eliminate the Asian long-horned beetle, Anne Schwartz says, are endangering New York’s trees anew. Also – the latest on the water filtration plant planned for Van Cortlandt Park.
How Park Improvements Affect Community Real Estate Values
July 29, 2003 — Anne Schwartz looks at the results of a study examining how investments in 30 NYC parks affected the property values and general conditions of their surrounding neighborhoods.
Van Cortlandt Park And The Filtration Plant
June 23, 2003 — Anne Schwartz reports on the legislature's last-minute approval of the water filtration plant underneath a section of Van Cortlandt Park.
Private Report Card on Smaller Parks
May 20, 2003 — Anne Schwartz details the results of a survey by New Yorkers for Parks of the city's smaller parks and recreation areas.
Reviving the Filtration Plant Underneath Van Cortlandt Park
April 18, 2003 — The Bloomberg administration has been quietly working to resuscitate the controversial plan to build a water filtration plant under the Mosholu Golf Course in Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx. Anne Schwartz reports.
March 21, 2003 — Spring is here, and Anne Schwartz looks at Mayor Michael Bloomberg's "report card" in parks - in which he measured how he was doing compared to what he had promised to do - and gives him a lower grade than he gave himself.
Turning Parkways Into Parks? Turning Trees Into Sports Fields?
February 21, 2003 — Staten Island could get 500 more acres of park if the state legislature finally agrees to abandon a highway plan dating back to the 1930s. Also: a final resolution to the conflict between sports fields and trees in Bloomfield Park.
January 23, 2003 — A burst of violent crime in the parks has alarmed park advocates and raised questions about whether the parks are becoming less safe. Also: It's official -- Christo will wrap Central Park. And a three-month trial ban of cars in Prospect Park. Anne Schwartz reports.
December 24, 2002 —
November 01, 2002 —
New York City's Permanent Food Emergency
November 01, 2002 —
State Protections For City Parkland
October 01, 2002 —
A Year After 911: The Rediscovery Of The City's Parks
September 11, 2002 — "This September 11, people will again find their way to the parks," as they did a year ago, Anne Schwartz says. But if the parks are more important than ever to New Yorkers, one result of 9/11 is a further reduction in their funding.
August 01, 2002 —
July 01, 2002 —
June 01, 2002 —
Community Gardens; Prospect Park's Audubon Center; Brooklyn Bridge Park
May 01, 2002 —
Remembering 9/11. Governors Island. The Beetles.
April 01, 2002 —
Central Park of Art, Beetles and Cars; First Budget Hearings on Parks
March 01, 2002 —
The New Parks Chief; Also, Greenways Are Good
February 01, 2002 —
January 01, 2002 —
Outlook in 2002; Unfinished Business From the Giuliani Era
December 01, 2001 —
Open Spaces; A Million Daffodil Memorial
November 01, 2001 —
Campaign Promises For Parks In Light Of 9/11
October 01, 2001 —
September 01, 2001 —
Governors Island, Community Gardens, Mayors Who Actually Care About Parks
August 01, 2001 —
Golf Course at Ferry Point Park
July 01, 2001 —
June 01, 2001 —
Community Gardens Endangered Still. Also: Preserve Bloomingdale Woods
May 01, 2001 —
New York As Oasis: OASIS mapping, Bloomingdale Woods, Governors Island Tours
April 01, 2001 —
March 01, 2001 —
In the News: Playing hardball in Bloomingdale Woods. Also, Parks embattled by accusations
February 01, 2001 —
Golf Clubbing Bronx Residents? Also: When Stadiums Win, Do Parks Lose?
January 01, 2001 —
Fees for Parks. Also: Making Parks Political
December 01, 2000 —
Election Special--THE PARKS AND THE POLS
October 01, 2000 —
In the News: Garbage Out, Parks In; Also, rating New York City's parks
September 01, 2000 —
Final Design for Brooklyn Waterfront Park. Also: Funding for Urban Parks
August 01, 2000 —
In the News: The War on Beetles
July 01, 2000 —
June 01, 2000 —
May 01, 2000 —
In The News: Finally! The Brooklyn Bridge Park plan
April 01, 2000 —
In The News: Field of Dreams in Staten Island?
March 01, 2000 —
February 01, 2000 —
January 01, 2000 —
December 01, 1999 —
