NY Parks Face Closures Due to Severe Budget Cuts

Parks employees like this one at East River Park in Williamsburg could be laid off this year. (John Del Signore)

Even wildly popular parks like Jones Beach and Niagara Falls could be among the state parks facing closure due to funding cuts, officials tell the AP. Last year, 100 of New York's 178 state parks and 35 historic sites had to cut services and reduce hours. This year, closures are "unavoidable" because of a multibillion-dollar budget deficit. "It's going to be pretty bad. As bad as I've ever seen it," predicts Robin Dropkin, executive director of Parks & Trails New York.

The Parks Department will see its funding reduced by some 40% over the span of three years, and in 2010 the system will operate with 1,100 fewer people. That means fewer life guards, cleaners, and park police. Even worse, the park police training academy will be suspended for the third straight year, leaving countless picnic baskets at the mercy of above-average bears.

And if you think this doesn't affect you because you spend all your time in city parks, think again: The Jelly NYC pool parties are held in East River Park, which is a state park, and eligible for closure. Without that positive recreational outlet on summer afternoons, Williamsburg's indie rock lovers will no doubt turn to drugs and alcohol on the sidewalks of Bedford Avenue. That's everybody's problem. Only Schumer can save us now.

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By John Del Signore in News on February 17, 2010 4:46 PM

Comments [rss]

Dude69

Just shut down all of the newly built Billyburg hipster parks, they don't seem to have much use for them anyway.

JacqueMehoff

I appreciate those Park enforcement, sure they can go a little overboard. I've seen them ticket mostly dog on the lawn type stuff and give warnings for some rough sports games. I haven't seen any alcohol rule infractions but I'm sure they do give them out.

sounds good to me. I don't want to get hit with a football or step on dog crap.

and, those guys who empties the garbage cans do a good job, too same with the bathroom attendants.

40oz.killa

HAHA look at that black guy trying to act like he's doing something important!

Snoopy

That dude is doing what needs to be done.

Without him, standing there dressed up like the proud son of a former slave in a well starched uniform, defending liberty and preventing the submarine service of the Taliban from jumping that blond bikini clad bitch, well who knows what might have happened?

Has anyone else noticed that there is a predominance of Afro-Americans in the hardly needed New York Parks Department "police?" I wonder why.

Snoopy

Why not shut down the Hudson River Park Trust? Where do they get their money?

Maybe charge the city to keep the sanitation pier where it is and expand it to pay for part of the park?

drewo

Less services, less public space.

But same taxes!

yg

Simple solution: privatize the parks. A responsible owner would find a way to make a buck in such popular places as Niagara Falls and Jones Beach.