On Tueasday, NYC Parks announced an investment of $425.5 million in new funding over the next 10 years in the Community Parks Initiative,(CPI) which will help renovate three Bronx parks.
The Community Parks Initiative redesigns and rebuilds community parks neglected by previous administrations, focusing on high-density, low-income areas and parks that have seen less than $250,000 in investment over the past 20 years. Since launching in 2014, CPI has fully reimagined 67 parks – 62 of which are already open to the public. This additional funding will result in 10 new CPI sites a year for the next 10 years.
“Our recovery must focus on communities historically left behind, and the Community Parks Initiative is a great example of how to do just that,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “This $425 million investment will improve open space in communities across the five boroughs for years to come. I want to thank Commissioner [Gabrielle] Fialkoff and everyone at NYC Parks for prioritizing equity in their stewardship of our incredible parks system.”
NYC Parks will engage community residents in CPI zones to help design these park projects by joining community input sessions. At these open, public events, New Yorkers engage with Parks designers to share their visions for how their neighborhood parks should be transformed. Additionally, Partnerships for Parks works with existing and new stakeholders around CPI capital sites with the goal of cultivating community partners at every capital project site to sustain reconstructed parks. Since CPI’s inception, NYC Parks and Partnerships for Parks have engaged nearly 54,000 volunteers in 2,000 plus stewardship projects in CPI neighborhoods.
The Bronx parks to be rebuilt and revitalized are: Horseshoe Playground, Chief Dennis L. Devlin Park and Pontiac Playground.
