{"id":152496,"date":"2026-03-04T16:01:48","date_gmt":"2026-03-04T16:01:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/152496\/"},"modified":"2026-03-04T16:01:48","modified_gmt":"2026-03-04T16:01:48","slug":"nyc-parks-ignored-in-mamdanis-city-budget-as-new-yorkers-long-for-outdoor-space-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/152496\/","title":{"rendered":"NYC Parks ignored in Mamdani\u2019s city budget as New Yorkers long for outdoor space: report"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\"People\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Runners, tourists and bicyclists in Central Park.<\/p>\n

Photo via Getty Images<\/p>\n

NYC is ignoring Mother Nature, according to a new report announced on Tuesday that highlights the city\u2019s shrinking investment in public parks.\n<\/p>\n

The report<\/a>, from the public policy research group the Center for an Urban Future (CUF), shows that the recreation portion of NYC Parks\u2019 budget has plummeted from 31% in the mid-1960s to around 5% today.<\/p>\n

Notably, in February, Mayor Zohran Mamdani<\/a> allocated only half a percent of his proposed $127 billion preliminary budget to fund city parks. That number accounts for less than the 1% he pledged on the campaign trail.\u00a0<\/p>\n

CUF researchers said decades of funding cuts have left a multitude of communities without the facilities, staffing and programming needed to meet the \u201crising demand\u201d for recreation. Full-time recreation staff have fallen from nearly 2,000 to under 700. Recreational programming outside rec centers is also down 45%, per the report.<\/p>\n

Some of the decline reflects sites closing for renovations. But the report notes that recreation facilities are \u201cserving fewer New Yorkers\u201d today than they were half a century ago. It zeroes in on \u201crec deserts\u201d in city neighborhoods such as Ozone Park, Midwood and Mount Hope, where more than 4,000 residents have to share one public athletic facility\u2014triple the citywide average.<\/p>\n

Although fewer than 2% of New Yorkers are members of city rec centers, and pool attendance has dropped since before the COVID-19 pandemic, it is not because of a lack of demand, researchers pointed out. Wait lists for fitness classes<\/a>, swim lessons and youth programs \u201cstretch longer\u201d each year, they said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"playgroundElmhurst Park has a playground for children to enjoy.Photo by Barbara Russo-Lennon<\/p>\n

Jonathan Bowles, executive director of CUF, said that investing in public parks is essential to help combat growing health problems by providing outlets for fitness and fresh air.<\/p>\n

\u201cPublic recreation is one of the most powerful tools the city has to improve health, reduce disparities, and strengthen social connections,\u201d he said. \u201cBut for decades, it has been treated as an afterthought. Restoring recreation as a core civic priority is essential to building a healthier and more equitable New York.\u201d<\/p>\n

NYC Parks offers free public programs; commitments made to improve recreation<\/p>\n

Despite the CUF report, NYC Parks are thriving, according to Gregg McQueen, a Parks Department spokesperson.\n<\/p>\n

The agency has committed $1 billion to recreation center projects through 2029, as well as other funding for city pool upgrades and improvements for playing fields, courts and skate parks.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cParks is the agency of affordability, and our\u00a0recreation centers and programming are an essential component of that,\u201d McQueen said. \u201cOur rec center memberships are the best deal in the city, free for anyone 24 and under, and we\u2019re proud to be building four new centers and renovating two others across the city.\u201d<\/p>\n

Last month, city officials opened the new Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center in East Flatbush that features 74,000 square feet of space with amenities including a gymnasium, pool and indoor walking track.<\/p>\n

\u201cParks also offers over 20,000 free public programs annually to engage New Yorkers with the natural and recreational assets of our city, improving health, social connection and quality of life for New Yorkers,\u201d McQueen added.<\/p>\n

\"aA free Shape Up NYC class in Chelsea.Photo by NYC Parks \/ Daniel Avila<\/p>\n

CUF recognized NYC Parks\u2019 recent achievements. However, the research indicates a need for a more \u201cpractical agenda\u201d to improve the city\u2019s parks system. Per the report, the agenda should include developing a recreation master plan, constructing more rec facilities and establishing new partnerships, among other solutions.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The CUF report was funded by a grant from The Leona M. And Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Runners, tourists and bicyclists in Central Park. Photo via Getty Images NYC is ignoring Mother Nature, according to…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":152497,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[37264,75,84,83,22925,9,24,63,22458,63554],"class_list":["post-152496","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-manhattan","tag-center-for-an-urban-future","tag-manhattan","tag-manhattan-headlines","tag-manhattan-news","tag-mayor-zohran-mamdani","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-city","tag-nyc","tag-nyc-parks","tag-outdoor-fitness-classes"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/152496","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=152496"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/152496\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/152497"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=152496"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=152496"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=152496"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}