New York City Department of Parks and Recreation

Department of Parks and Recreation

Department overview
Formed	1910 (1910)
Preceding department	New York City Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Administration
Jurisdiction	New York City
Headquarters	830 Fifth Avenue New York, NY
Department executive	Mitchell Silver[1], Commissioner of Parks and Recreation
Key document	New York City Charter
Website	www.nycgovparks.org

The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, also called Parks Department and NYC Parks, is the department of the government of New York City^[2] responsible for maintaining the city's parks system, preserving and maintaining the ecological diversity of the city's natural areas, and furnishing recreational opportunities for city's residents and visitors.

The total area of the properties maintained by the department is over 30,000 acres (120 km²).^[3]

The department maintains more than 1,700 parks, playgrounds and recreation facilities across the five boroughs. It is responsible for over 1,000 playgrounds, 800 playing fields, 550 tennis courts, 35 major recreation centers, 66 pools, 14 miles (23 km) of beaches, and 13 golf courses, as well as seven nature centers, six ice skating rinks, over 2000 greenstreets and four major stadiums. Parks also cares for park flora and fauna, community gardens, 23 historic houses, over 1,200 statues and monuments, and more than 2.5 million trees.^[4]

The City of New York Department of Parks & Recreation produces many special events, including concerts and movie premieres. In the summer, the busiest season, the agency organizes free carnivals and concerts, and sends mobile recreation vans to travel throughout the five boroughs providing free rental equipment for skating, baseball, and miniature golf.

The largest single component of parkland maintained by the department is the "forever wild" Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx, with an area of 2,765 acres (11.19 km²).^[4] The department is also responsible for such "flagship" parks facilities as Central Park, Prospect Park, Van Cortlandt Park, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, and the Staten Island Greenbelt, though many of these parks are maintained by private, non-profit conservancies.

The symbol of the department is a cross between the leaf of the London plane and a maple leaf. It is prominently featured on signs and buildings in public parks across the city. The London plane tree is on the NYC Parks Department's list of restricted use species for street tree planting because it constitutes more than 10% of all street trees.

Agency

The department is a mayoral agency. The current Parks Commissioner is Mitchell Silver. The current chair of the New York City Council Committee on Parks & Recreation is Mark D. Levine.^[5]

The department is allocated an expense budget and a capital budget. The expense budget covers the total expenses incurred by the agency, including salaries. The capital budget is dedicated solely for new construction projects, as well as major repairs in parks that have a useful life of more than five years and cost at least $35,000.

Its regulations are compiled in Title 56 of the New York City Rules.^[6]

Organization

• Commissioner of Parks & Recreation
  • First Deputy Commissioner
    • Deputy Commissioner for Capital Projects
    • Assistant Commissioner for Public Programs
      • Assistant Commissioner for Recreation and Programming
      • Assistant Commissioner for Urban Park Services
    • Deputy Commissioner for Management and Budget
      • Assistant Commissioner for Budget and Fiscal Management
      • Assistant Commissioner for Revenue and Marketing
    • Deputy Commissioner for Community Outreach
    • Assistant Commissioner for Citywide Operations
    • Assistant Commissioner for Community Relations
    • Assistant Commissioner for Forestry and Horticulture
    • Assistant Commissioner for Not-for-Profit Partnerships
    • Assistant Commissioner for Planning and Natural Resources
    • Assistant Commissioner for Strategic Partnerships
    • Borough Commissioners
      • Bronx Commissioner
      • Brooklyn Commissioner
      • Manhattan Commissioner
      • Queens Commissioner
      • Staten Island Commissioner

Park Law Enforcement

New York City Parks Enforcement patch

The department maintains an enforcement division, called the Parks Enforcement Patrol (PEP), responsible for maintaining safety and security within the parks system. Parks Enforcement Patrol officers have peace officer status under NYS Penal Law and are empowered through this status to make arrests and issue tickets. PEP officers patrol land, waterways and buildings under the jurisdiction of the Department of Parks and Recreation on foot, bicycle, horseback, boat and marked patrol trucks. Park Enforcement Patrol officers are also responsible for physical site inspections of NYC park concession facilities to assure the concessioners compliance with state laws.^[7]

Urban Park Rangers

The Urban Park Rangers was founded as a pilot program in 1979 by then Parks Commissioner Gordon J. Davis, with the support and encouragement of Mayor Ed Koch. The program provides many free programs year-round, such as nature walks and activities. They also operate programs such as The Natural Classroom for class trips and the general public alike. "Explorer" programs are available for activities such as canoeing in the city's flagship parks in all five boroughs. NYC Urban Park Rangers are easily identified by their uniforms.^[8]

Although NYC Park Rangers possess peace officer status, their primary mission is environmental education, protection of park resources, and visitor safety. Law enforcement in city parks is the responsibility of the New York City Police Department.

Concessions

Most businesses that operate or generate revenue on New York City parkland are considered concessions and must obtain a permit or license from the Revenue Division of Parks. Pursuant to the City's Concession Rules, these licenses and permits are generally awarded through a public solicitation process, such as a Request for Bids (RFB) or Request for Proposals (RFP).^[9]

Approximately 500 concessions currently operate in parks throughout the five boroughs, and they generally fall into two categories: food service and recreation. The food service concessions range from pushcarts selling hot dogs to restaurants such as Tavern on the Green and Terrace on the Park. Recreational concessions include facilities such as ice rinks, stables, marinas, and golf courses. In fiscal year 2009, the Revenue Division of the Parks Department helped collect over $110 million in revenue from various sources including concessions, lease agreements, like those for Citi Field and Yankee Stadium, special events, and dockage.^[10]

Wright vs. Stern

In 2001, the department underwent an investigation after the U.S Attorney's Office received complaints from employees that they had suffered employment discrimination. The lawsuit alleged that the Parks Department violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by engaging in a pattern or practice of discrimination against employees on the basis of their race and/or national origin in making promotion decisions. According to the Complaint, the Parks Department's senior managers sought out and promoted whites to management positions without announcing job openings for those positions or conducting any formal interview process, all in plain disregard of the Parks Department's own stated equal employment opportunity policies. From at least 1995, minorities have been significantly under-represented in the Parks Department's managerial ranks according to the Complaint. The judge had ruled that the plaintiffs had presented substantial evidence to merit a trial on the allegations of class-wide discrimination in pay, promotions and retaliation. In 2008, the City of New York agreed to pay $21 million to settle the federal class action lawsuit. By agreeing to settle the claims, the City avoided a trial on the allegations.^[11]

References

External links

• City of New York Department of Parks & Recreation official site
  • Urban Park Rangers
  • Parks History
  • Interactive Park Map of New York City
• Department of Parks and Recreation in the Rules of the City of New York

Central Park Features Geographical features Cedar Hill Cherry Hill Conservatory Garden Conservatory Water Great Lawn / Turtle Pond Harlem Meer Onassis Reservoir The Pond and Hallett Nature Sanctuary The Ramble and Lake Seneca Village Sheep Meadow Sculptures 107th Infantry Memorial Balto Christopher Columbus Cleopatra's Needle Daniel Webster Eagles and Prey The Falconer Fitz-Greene Halleck Giuseppe Mazzini Indian Hunter King Jagiello Monument Robert Burns Romeo and Juliet Samuel Finley Breese Morse Seventh Regiment Memorial Sir Walter Scott The Gates (former) Untermyer Fountain USS Maine National Monument Victor Herbert William Shakespeare Other features Arsenal Belvedere Castle Bethesda Terrace and Fountain Blockhouse Bridges Burnett Memorial Fountain Carousel Delacorte Theater Diana Ross Playground Fort Clinton Lasker Rink Mall Marionette Theatre McGowan's Pass McGown's Pass Tavern Richard Morris Hunt Memorial Rumsey Playfield Strawberry Fields Tavern on the Green Victorian Gardens Wollman Rink Zoo Escape hoax Zoo York Wall Zoo York Events Be-Ins The Concert The Gates UAE Healthy Kidney 10K New York Mini 10K Concerto: One Night in Central Park Shakespeare in the Park SummerStage Neighboring features Streets Border Streets Fifth (East) North South West Transverses 66th 79th 85th 97th Subway stations Fifth Avenue – 59th Street 59th Street – Columbus Circle 72nd Street 81st Street 86th Street 96th Street 103rd Street Cathedral Parkway – 110th Street Central Park North – 110th Street People and animals Frederick Law Olmsted Calvert Vaux Hal the Coyote Pale Male Pattycake Miscellaneous Conservancy Jogger case Medical Unit NYC Parks

Coordinates: 40°46′3.5″N 73°58′16.7″W / 40.767639°N 73.971306°W / 40.767639; -73.971306