Mayor Eric Adams appointed a new NYC Parks Commissioner Sunday, selecting a seasoned Bronx parks advocate with nearly 40 years of experience.
Iris Rodriguez-Rosa, 68, a former Bronx Park Commissioner and NYC Parks employee since 1986, was named the new commissioner, following the resignation of Sue Donahue last month after four years.
Rodriguez-Rosa made history Sunday as the first Latina appointed to lead and manage the city’s 30,000 acres of parkland. Adams said in a press briefing Sunday that he was fully confident Rodriguez-Rosa would continue her legacy of dedication.
“She is aware of every nook and cranny of the parks in this city,” Adams said.
Rodriguez-Rosa, who was appointed deputy commissioner in 2022, served as the Bronx Borough Parks Commissioner from 2015 until her promotion to first deputy. During her tenure in the Bronx, she oversaw landmark projects, including the unification of Van Cortlandt Park’s advocacy groups and major renovations at Orchard Beach. She also helped execute countless playground renovations.
Adams said that her time in the Bronx helped prepare Rodriguez-Rosa to manage the difficult challenges, and opinions of New Yorkers.
“If you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere, but if you can make it in the Bronx, you can make it anywhere,” Adams said, putting an emphasis on the borough.
Rodriguez-Rosa emphasized that parks are essential for equity, health and safety.
“Parks and playgrounds are more than just beautiful places,” Rodriguez-Rosa said. “They are vital public spaces where neighbors come together, building trust and community.”
Her appointment was announced as Adams marked the completion of six major NYCHA playground and open space upgrades, a $23 million dollar investment — including two in the Bronx at the Sotomayor and Watson Houses in Soundview. Combined, these Bronx renovations revamped more than 18,000 square feet of public space with new play equipment, fitness stations, benches, and landscaping.
The newly upgraded areas, which were shaped through community input, are now open not only to NYCHA residents but also to the broader public — putting thousands more Bronx residents within a 10-minute walk of a revitalized park.
“These parks are our backyards,” Adams said. “By opening up NYCHA green spaces, we’re giving Bronx families cleaner, safer places to play, gather, and grow.”
