New Yorkers for Parks

NY4P is hiring a Director of Advocacy and Policy! This individual will lead and grow the Play Fair Coalition, develop and implement advocacy campaigns, and advance the organization’s policy platform in collaboration with community members, organizational partners and elected officials citywide. Learn more and apply ⬇️

Trees fight climate change and keep New Yorkers cool—but with under-resourced skeleton crews tasked with caring for them in each borough, our urban canopy is being neglected. Crain's New York Business spoke with NY4P and Play Fair Advocates about how NYC Office of the Mayor is failing NYC's natural areas, and the kind of investment NYC Department of Parks & Recreation needs to thrive.

When Gregory J Morris, MPA isn't leading NYC Employment and Training Coalition (NYCETC), you can find him at the park. Thanks to NYCETC for standing with the Play Fair Coalition and calling on NYC Office of the Mayor to allocate $79.7M in the FY26 budget for critical NYC Department of Parks & Recreation staffing/programs. #ParksPower #NYC and are essential to safety, climate resilience, and quality of life.

We're excited to announce the upcoming Mayoral Candidate Forum on Parks, happening Tuesday, April 8 at New York Law School! Moderated by Ben Max and co-hosted by NY4P and NYLS, hear ten democratic mayoral candidates answer questions directly from Play Fair Coalition members about parks, recreation, and open space. RSVP: https://lnkd.in/eC94fZK2 Thanks to Play Fair co-sponsors City Parks Foundation, The Municipal Art Society of New York, Natural Areas Conservancy, New York League of Conservation Voters, Parks and Open Space Partners, and Trust for Public Land.

Parks and green spaces are vital infrastructure across New York City, essential to the well-being of all New Yorkers. That’s why last week, the Play Fair for Parks coalition gathered on the steps of City Hall to urge the administration to restore critical NYC Parks funding and staffing. Following the rally, advocates attended the Parks & Recreation preliminary budget hearing, delivering testimony on the urgent need for meaningful park investments in the FY26 budget – including $79.8 million to maintain New York City's 1,700+ parks, playgrounds, and recreational facilities and strengthen key programs like Urban Park Rangers, tree stump removal, and GreenThumb. Despite the fact that 14% of New York City is parkland, NYC Department of Parks & Recreation receives just 0.6% of the city's budget – a glaring disparity that has left the agency understaffed, underfunded and unable to maintain the green spaces that millions of New Yorkers depend on daily. Our parks are not luxuries – they are key drivers of quality-of-life. It’s time for the NYC Office of the Mayor to recognize this, and invest in them as such. Thank you to New York City Council Members Shekar Krishnan, Alexa Avilés, Mercedes Narcisse, Shaun Abreu, Gale Brewer and Christopher Marte, and to all our Play Fair partners, for joining us to stand up for our parks! #ParksPower #NYC

Marine Park is a beautiful place, but it does not maintain itself! Our @NYCParks workers are the heart of clean, safe and thriving parks. Building on decades of chronic underfunding, many Parks Department positions have been lost and there are not enough workers to adequately care for the city's 1,700+ parks, playgrounds, and recreation facilities. Our parks and workers deserve better. Join the Play Fair for Parks Coalition at City Hall on March 20th at 12pm to demand the restoration of funding and positions in the FY26 budget! RSVP: bit.ly/ParksRally320 

We applaud New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams for recognizing that #ParksPowerNYC, and for in turn demanding $79.7 million in this year's city budget to keep our parks safe, clean and vibrant for all New Yorkers. Parks and greenspaces are the heart of every neighborhood across New York City -- investing in parks means investing in thriving communities. After decades of disinvestment, we need bold action to fully fund NYC Department of Parks & Recreation and improve quality of life for all New Yorkers. 📢 Rally for Parks with Play Fair on 3/17 at City Hall: https://lnkd.in/eea6ADKt 📢

New York City budget season is in full swing, and the Play Fair for Parks Coalition is making sure our voices are heard! On Monday, March 17th at 12pm, we’ll be holding a rally with elected officials and advocates on the steps of City Hall ahead of the Parks & Recreation Preliminary Budget Hearing. Our message is clear: NYC must restore and grow the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation budget to ensure clean, safe, and accessible green spaces for all. We’re calling on NYC Office of the Mayor and New York City Council for funding to protect and expand our urban forest and tree canopy, ensure safety in our parks, invest in key community programs and restore critical parks jobs to improve our city’s green spaces and thereby New Yorkers’ quality of life. The more voices united, the more forcefully our demands will be heard. We need everyone’s support – in addition to joining the rally, you can get involved by testifying at the hearing which will take place directly after. If you’re planning to testify, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team for support! 📢RSVP HERE: https://lnkd.in/eea6ADKt #ParksPowerNYC #RestoreOurParks #ProtectOurParks

NY4P is proud to co-sponsor the New York League of Conservation Voters' Environmental Candidate Forum for NYC Mayor on March 6th at NYU Skirball. Hear directly from mayoral candidates on critical issues such as clean energy, transportation, building decarbonization, parks, zero waste, and public health. We hope to see you there! Please RSVP by March 3:

Isaac, a trails operations coordinator with NYC Department of Parks & Recreation, is dedicated to helping New Yorkers access our city's natural areas and the benefits they provide. But NYC Office of the Mayor's short-sighted disinvestment has cut staffing, lowered morale, and hindered the agency's ability to properly manage for these vital spaces. #ParksPowerNYC