Statement from Lynn Kelly, Executive Director of New Yorkers for Parks:

New Yorkers for Parks commends the City Council, under the leadership of Parks and Recreation Committee Chair Barry Grodenchik (District 23) for once again providing $9.6 million to preserve 150 essential City Park Workers and Gardeners positions for the coming fiscal year. Without this funding New Yorkers would lose their jobs and city parks would suffer. 

However, we strongly believe that the administration should permanently fund these positions. This is the fifth year in a row that New Yorkers for Parks has pushed for this funding to be baselined by the administration so that these City Park Workers and Gardeners aren't at risk of losing their jobs year after year. We see this as a modest investment in keeping our parks clean and safe, and in the infrastructure of people who make our parks great. 

While the outcome isn't perfect, we are very happy to have strong parks advocates in the City Council to work with on this and other pressing issues facing our open spaces. We also thank everyone who signed our petition, and who work tirelessly on behalf of their parks in countless other ways!