{"id":2476,"date":"2023-10-04T16:48:02","date_gmt":"2023-10-04T16:48:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/council.nyc.gov\/press\/?p=2476"},"modified":"2023-10-04T18:48:19","modified_gmt":"2023-10-04T18:48:19","slug":"nyc-council-speaker-adrienne-adams-parks-committee-chair-shekar-krishnan-unions-and-advocates-highlight-funding-for-urban-park-rangers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/council.nyc.gov\/press\/2023\/10\/04\/2476\/","title":{"rendered":"NYC Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, Parks Committee Chair Shekar Krishnan, Unions, and Advocates Highlight Funding for Urban Park Rangers"},"content":{"rendered":"

City Hall, NY \u2013 <\/strong>Today, New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and Parks and Recreation Committee Chair Shekar Krishnan were joined by District Council 37, AFSCME Local 983, and advocates to celebrate $4.1 million in Fiscal Year 2024 funding for Urban Park Rangers. The Council secured $8.7 million in restorations for key programs and nearly $11.2 million in Council initiatives to support maintenance, operations, and programming in New York City\u2019s parks. This funding is a victory for New Yorkers, public parks, and the labor unions and environmental organizations that advocated for funding restorations for Urban Park Rangers.<\/p>\n

\u201cUrban Park Rangers are critical to the daily operation and success of our city\u2019s parks through environmental education, adventure programs, and other activities that benefit New Yorkers,\u201d said Speaker Adrienne Adams<\/strong>. \u201cThe Council is proud to have secured $4.1 million in funding restorations to support park ranger positions and ensure even more park visitors can connect with the natural world around us. This crucial funding would not have been possible without the leadership of Parks and Recreation Committee Chair Shekar Krishnan, our partners in labor, and the fierce advocacy of the entire Play Fair Coalition. While it remains critical to invest in the recruitment and retention of Urban Park Rangers, I look forward to working with the Department of Parks and Recreation and all stakeholders to ensure parks workers and resources are safeguarded for the long term.\u201d<\/p>\n

In its Fiscal Year 2024 Preliminary Budget Response, the Council recognized the important role of Urban Park Rangers and called for restoring and baselining $4.1 million in the budget for 50 Park Rangers. Through budget negotiations, the Council successfully secured the funding to restore 50 positions in the FY24 adopted budget.<\/p>\n

Urban Park Rangers have been an essential asset to New York City and its parks for more than 40 years, helping New Yorkers and visitors alike experience the city\u2019s 30,000 acres of parkland through environmental education programs, outdoor recreational activities, conservation efforts, and more. Urban Park Rangers are instrumental in educating park patrons of all ages about sustainability, shaping future generations of conservationists and environmental advocates. They also serve as guides and resources for visitors navigating city parks and share vital knowledge and history of the land.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs Chair of the Committee on Parks and Recreation, every year it is my number one priority to protect our Parks workers. Parks workers are the beating heart of our Parks system and ensure that New Yorkers have a safe, clean park to enjoy,\u201d said Council Member Shekar Krishnan, Chair of Committee on Parks and Recreation<\/strong>. \u201cThis year, the Council fought to ensure 50 Urban Park Ranger lines were restored for the current fiscal year along with NYC GreenThumb funding, funding for tree stump removal and other critical investments in our Parks system. This funding will ensure that our City continues to make sustained investments in the safety and well-being of our parks system, protecting our natural areas, playgrounds, and community gardens for all. I am proud to stand with the Speaker and numerous advocates to celebrate this year’s Parks budget. And I will keep fighting to ensure that these investments continue and we reach the ultimate goal of 1% of the City’s budget being allocated to the Parks department.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like to offer our sincere thanks to Speaker Adams, Parks Chair Krishnan, and the entire City Council for their dedication to our urban parks system,\u201d said NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue<\/strong>. \u201cThanks to your support, residents and visitors alike will benefit from the continued presence of our Urban Park Rangers in City parks \u2013 providing ecological knowledge, increased programming for the youth of this city, and an additional watchful eye on our parks and greenspaces.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to thank the Mayor and the City Council for working together to restore funding for 50 of our Urban Park Rangers, who are essential to maintaining the safety of our parks,\u201d said Henry Garrido, Executive Director of District Council 37<\/strong>. \u201cThey play a central role in educational programming, tours, and other public activities, making New York City\u2019s parks the best in the world. As I often say, a budget is a statement of values, and there is no better example of this than maintaining the jobs of these valuable workers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a former Urban Park Ranger and a member and leader of Local 938 for over 20 years, I am extremely grateful for the restoration of this essential funding for 50 of our Urban Park Rangers,\u201d said Joe Puleo, President of Local 983. <\/strong>I would like to thank Speaker Adams, Parks Chair Krishnan, and the rest of the City Council for working to make this happen. It\u2019s a win for our union, our parks, and all New Yorkers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNew Yorkers for Parks thanks Speaker Adams, Parks Chair Krishnan, and the entire City Council for their commitment in the urgent campaign for our city\u2019s parks, parks workers, and the millions of New Yorkers that rely on our city\u2019s parks,\u201d said Adams Ganser, Executive Director of New Yorkers for Yorkers<\/strong>. \u201cCouncil-funded positions and initiatives are a critical part of working towards a goal of a fully resourced parks department. With the administration\u2019s proposed 15% cuts to the Parks Department, our parks will look to the council to lead the effort to push back and ensure that all New Yorkers have access to safe, clean and green parks.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Nature Conservancy applauds Speaker Adams, Parks Committee Chair Shekar Krishnan, and their teams for securing resources for NYC Parks and the urban forest in this year’s adopted budget. These funding commitments will make a true difference in the quality of life of New Yorkers,\u201d said Emily Nobel Maxwell, New York Cities Program Director for The Nature Conservancy<\/strong>. \u201cWe, alongside members of Forest for All NYC, stand ready to work with our elected leaders to sustain and expand the budget for this vital infrastructure that helps make our city more resilient, just, healthy and equitable for all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe commend City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, Parks Committee Chair Shekar Krishnan, and the entire City Council for their allocation of over $20 million to New York City Parks,” said Alia Soomro, Deputy Director of New York City Policy for the New York League of Conservation Voters<\/strong>. \u201cAs a Play Fair for Parks co-founder, NYLCV believes this investment will provide a big boost to our Urban Park Rangers and restoration efforts and it serves as an important first step in restoring much needed funding after years of divestment so that New York City’s beloved parks can continue to thrive and serve as vital spaces for education, recreation, and as green infrastructure critical to mitigating the impacts of extreme weather.\u201d<\/p>\n

###<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

City Hall, NY \u2013 <\/strong>Today, New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and Parks and Recreation Committee Chair Shekar Krishnan were joined by District Council 37, AFSCME Local 983, and advocates to celebrate $4.1 million in Fiscal Year 2024 funding for Urban Park Rangers. The Council secured $8.7 million in restorations for key programs and nearly $11.2 million in Council initiatives to support maintenance, operations, and programming in New York City\u2019s parks.<\/p>\n

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