Put the green back in parks

Last week the Parks Department’s Principal Urban Planner, Charles McKinney, was greeted with warm applause when he presented a comprehensive master plan for Van Cortlandt Park to Community Board 8’s parks committee.

The plan appeared to offer something for everyone— toddlers and teens, hikers and bikers, naturalists and ball players of every sort. 

The only thing that didn’t come with it was the cash to see it through.

One reason is a decision, made decades ago during David Dinkins term as mayor, according to Mr. McKinney.

The city was in dire financial straights and then-Mayor Dinkins decided to drop parks from its annual capital budget.

Through all the succeeding ups and downs of the city’s economy they have never been restored.

“In the old days,” Mr. McKinney explained, “the department would be allocated X amount of money to be included in a four year plan. It would create a logical sequence of work that fit the money. You could supplement that by asking council members or borough presidents for their money. “

Now big park projects must be funded by individual officeholders. Council members, borough presidents, even mayors can use their discretionary funds, but nothing comes from the overall capital budget.

Recently state Sen. Daniel Squadron has suggested that privately-funded conservancies like the one for Central Park should share their wealth with less fortunate outer borough neighborhoods. 

Sen. Squadron made a good impression on our councilman, Andrew Cohen, who is a member of the Parks Committee. “His proposal will not negatively affect Van Cortlandt Park, “ he said. “f you treat Central Park as part of a system rather than a standalone park then it makes sense to have their conservancy participate in funding that system.”

But, for the time being, he’s keeping an open mind, “I’d like to hear people make their case on both sides of the issue,” he said.