City Parks or Seedy Backwaters and Dumps?

The NY Post has a two-part series alleging that city parks, which make up 14% of the land mass of New York City, are the domain of "HOS, JUNKIES, [and] PUSHERS". In part one today, an inspection of a random selection of dozens of parks suggests that they were unmaintained, trash-strewn, and havens for criminal activity. A brief summary of the Post's investigation:

Multiple encampments of homeless people in ten separate parks.
Prostitutes doing business in a park off the coincidentally named Hoe St. in the Bronx.
Drug addicts and dealers getting high and selling in public playgrounds.
A nature preserve where stolen vehicles are stripped for parts.
Unmaintained green spaces that are overrun by weeds and become dumping grounds for bulk trash.

City Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe, who supported the Bloomberg administration's efforts in improving New York's parks, pointed out that previous neglect (from other administrations) could not be repaired in one fell swoop. Still, a breakdown of the City budget shows how different parks funding stacks up in the boroughs (about $10,000 is spent to care for one acre in Manhattan or Brooklyn parks, while it's as low as $2,000/acre in Staten Island). Also, only 0.5% of the current city budget is dedicated to park maintenance, versus 1.4% in 1960 (a relative 67% reduction).

Gothamist wrote about the less attractive aspects of Riverside Park in 2006. In 1995, actress Bette Midler helped found the New York Restoration Project, which is a private volunteer group that restores neglected city parks.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Dave Hogarty in News on July 6, 2008 2:45 PM

Comments [rss]

thefacts

#8 Get your head out of your ass, faggot.

whantmoore

Well I feel the parks depend on the neighboorhood for the most part. The exception is Washington square park which has a few creepy places a few blocks down. But Other than that if its in a "good neighborhood" the parks will be better. If you dont belive me go to a park in a low income area and tell me if you would feel that its ok for young people to play in.

bklynd

Uh, TSOL, you mean the opposite of "privatize."

The Facts - such things happen all the time in public restrooms across the country. Obviously you were particularly concerned about it since you checked in an hour later. So, the solution - tell the guy, "I see you watching. I've got what you need." Have sex with him in a stall, and then he will be sated and go home. You'll probably find it unpleasant at the time, but you can have the satisfaction of having protected other innocent people from a perverted peeper.

tsol

Yes, let's hurry to privatize Gramercy Park and tear it's fence down so that it too can benefit from the stewardship of the Parks dep't and the tender mercies of our native scumbags!

NannyState

The parks are fine, although a few need some long-term redevelopment. The real issue is security. A parks police might help there.

kapusta

city parks require time, effort, and most of all money to maintain.

it,s called RAISE TAXES.

kearnj

I agree with #1- in terms of the vast majority of parks I've visited, they were in good shape.

thefacts

Forget about the unfortunate homeless looking for a place to sleep.

What about the men's room at Washington Square Park?

In the WSP men's room, degenerates and perverted gays linger all day at the urinals looking for a free show or more.

I went once, and there was a guy "peeing" there before - and after - I left. When I came back an hour later, he was still at the same urinal. About another half a dozen sexual skells likewise lingered inside.

Benepe can't clean the drug dealers from WSP! No wonder he can't do anything about the perverts?

$10 million+ in renovations, and you can't renovate that degenerate place? What good are you?

QueensCrap

Flushing Meadows-Corona Park.

Highland Park.

Dreier-Offerman Park.

All are complete dumps.

Have a visit, Dave. You won't be impressed anymore.

Dave Hogarty

For the money they get from the City budget, it sure seems like the Parks Dept. is doing a bang-up job. Half a percentage point out of the budget to maintain 14% of New York City's acreage? That's amazing in my opinion, because most all of the parks I've been to in the five boroughs seem in good condition; and some are impeccably maintained.