Thanks to private funds, NYC invested six times more in building and improving its parks during Mayor Bloomberg's tenure than was spent in the prior decade. But what will happen to these parks when their billionaire backer leaves office?
We've looked before at New York City's growing parks disparity. But another concern with the influx of private funds that's made the city's astonishing parks expansion possible, at the same time that the Parks and Recreation department's maintenance budget was being cut, is what will happen to the shiny new open spaces when the Mayor with the billion dollar rolodex leaves office.
"There's no question that the big-picture story is an impressive one: There have been new parks and significant renovations to large parks," said Holly Leicht, executive director of New Yorkers for Parks.
"The big concern is that already the maintenance budget has not kept up with the existing supply of parkland, much less being enough for additional parks," Ms. Leicht said. "Will they really be able to sustain themselves outside of the public budget, as was the premise of their creation?"
"Nearly everyone agrees that some private support for parks is essential given constrained municipal budgets," writes Laura Kusisto. "But parks groups said it may also be time to step back and realize that the private sector can't entirely be relied upon to replace shrinking parks budgets."
"'The ones that are expected to fly on their own, whether they can do it or not is their problem, but it is also our problem as a society as a whole,' said Deborah Marton, of the New York Restoration Project, which helps maintain parks in low-income neighborhoods. 'Then we have failed public spaces that we all have to deal with.'"
FULL STORY: New York City's Parks Grow With Private Funds

Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.

National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.

Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.

Test News Post 1
This is a summary

Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.

Test News Headline 46
Test for the image on the front page.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service