Rockaway getting a funding boost

From the Daily News:

On the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Sandy, Mayor de Blasio announced plans to spend $145 million on seven park projects to help protect the Rockaways from future floods.

The city will launch the projects – with federal approval – starting with rebuilding Bayswater Park. The work includes installing a berm along the waterfront, plus building sports fields, play areas and a kayaking spot.

The cash comes from $120 million left over from the $480 million the feds earmarked for rebuilding the Rockaway Boardwalk, which Sandy destroyed. The money can be moved to other resiliency projects in the neighborhood.

The city is kicking in another $25 million.

If this were Manhattan instead of Rockaway...

From Capital New York:

At the end of the peninsula, where Mott Avenue dead-ends, is Bayswater Point State Park. The closest subway stop (Mott Avenue-Far Rockaway at the end of the A) is a little more than a mile away, so not a lot of people go there. It is also the only state park in the New York City region that does not have full-time, year-round staff attached to it.

In theory, it is a lovely spot. It affords access to recreational fishing and is a seasonal home for a significant variety of birds; the state park web site recommends it for “passive recreation.” It covers 12 acres, unless you count the tidal bed, in which case it is 14 acres.

What a visitor actually sees, these days, is the wreck of what was once a very nice estate.

Closed off behind a chain-link fence, across the street from a row of working homes in varying states of repair, is an enormous house that has clearly not been lived in for a long time. On either side of what looks like it was once the driveway are two brick pillars, one of which has a small cement plaque with the words “Sunset Lodge” carved into it. There’s a spacious yard to the right of the house, whose windows are covered by thick plywood, although they have been painted roughly the same pale-yellow color as the house.

Behind the big house, down where the woods start, is a smaller house that the vines have nearly brought down. This is the other side of Bayswater Point State Park, which is almost entirely inaccessible, and technically out of bounds anyway. (Visitors are not supposed to jump the fence, approach the house, or try to navigate the woods behind it. If one were to do that, one would find a network of trees struck together by thorny ropes of creepers.)

On page 3, the long time residents - African-American and Jewish folks (not "Archie Bunkers" by any stretch of the imagination) - describe how Rockaway went from paradise to dump thanks to the social engineering experiments by the City and State of New York. For those of you who think cranky old white conservatives are the only ones lamenting what the tweeders have done to this borough - guess what? They're not!

Parks reopened at the expense of the environment

From NY1:

Dozens of shuttered state parks should reopen, just in time for the Memorial Day weekend.

Early this morning, the State Assembly passed a bill that would provide $11 million for park operations this year.

This afternoon, the State Senate voted this afternoon to approve the measure.

The agreement reached with Governor David Paterson yesterday takes about $80 million from the state's Environmental Protection Fund. Of that money, $6 million will go toward reopening the parks and the remaining $74 million will go toward closing the state's $9.2 billion budget deficit.

The Paterson administration had closed 41 parks and 14 historic sites, including Bayswater Point Park in Queens to try to save money.

Critics say taking money from the Environmental Protection Fund will lead to drastic cuts for the Bronx Zoo and Botanical Garden, but the Assembly speaker says those institutions will not be affected.

"These are important for tourism, for recreation, all the things that make New York great,” said Bill Ulfelder of the Nature Conservancy. “To reduce this spending is devastating. The EPF has been treated like a punching bag through the budget process."

The money shuffle may solve the problem for now, but there are no guarantees New Yorkers won't be locked out of their park again next year.

Looting one fund to save another

Photo by Geoffrey Croft

From A Walk In The Park:

In Bayswater Point State Park in Far Rockaway, the two gates were already padlocked last weekend. A small square sign affixed to a pole read, "Park Closed." The 12-acre park located on the south shore of Jamaica Bay in Queens is a popular spot for fishing and family outings.

"You gotta be kidding," said Rick Hill, 39, when told how much the state would save by shutting down the park. "That's ridiculous – I mean, to close a park for $5,000. That's not even money."

A father of four, Mr. Hill said one of the main reasons he bought his house five years ago was because it was next to the park. He also fears the closed park will become neglected and overgrown.

On May 14th, The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation announced it was accepting a $100,000 donation from Citibank to restore services cut last year at Long Island State Park as well as to fund summer programs in Westchester and Rockland Counties. The gift will also allow the swimming area at Zach’s Bay to extend its operating season through Labor Day.

There's no subsidized NYC company that wants to donate $5,500 so Bayswater can stay open???

From Eyewitness News:

Senior officials in the Paterson administration say Gov. David Paterson will introduce a bill Monday that would keep all New York parks and historic sites open for the year including the upcoming Memorial Day weekend.

But the officials say the Legislature will have to agree to take $6 million from the Environmental Protection Fund to pay for it.

The staffers say lawmakers in stalled budget talks as recently as Saturday insisted that a top priority is to keep the parks and historic sites open. Paterson sees the move as a way to address a chief concern he shares, but only with the corresponding cut he has insisted upon.

What a great idea! Let's rob Peter to pay Paul!

Manhattan park opens as Queens park closes

From the Daily News:

In a case of really bad timing - or political tin ear - Gov. Paterson cut the ribbon on a new Manhattan park Monday just as budget cuts forced dozens of state parks to close.

"It's not smart politics, and it's not good politics either," said Assemblyman Herman (Denny) Farrell after Paterson welcomed a new section of the Hudson River Park in Chelsea.

Farrell's Harlem constituents are furious their beloved Riverbank State Park was cut back by several hours a day.

"The governor should know this community is constantly concerned that they're not getting their fair share," Farrell said.

Statewide, 81 parks and historical sites are closing or cutting their hours because of the ongoing Albany budget crisis, according to a list on a state Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Web site.

Riverbank has been ordered not to open its outdoor pool this summer and to slash summer concerts. Another state park in the city - Bayswater Point in Queens - is completely closed.

From A Walk in the Park:

Geoffrey Croft, president of NYC Park Advocates, questioned whether closing the Riverbank State Park in Harlem was even legal since it was created as mitigation for the construction of a wastewater treatment plant nearby. The park is very popular because it has a public swimming pool.

“It’s outrageous that the state is doing this, especially in light of the fact that so little of the state’s parkland is located downstate,” Croft said. Another popular city park, the 12-acre Bayswater State Park in Jamaica Bay, has an operating budget of just $5,000 a year, he said. “So this is clearly not about money.”

Let's see what went on at Bayswater last week...

"Hi Crapper,

I know you've been covering this pretty closely, so thought you'd be interested to hear state parks officials escorted all the planespotters and fishermen out of Bayswater Point State Park early this afternoon, padlocked it and hung a "CLOSED" sign.

Love the site, keep up the great work.

Matt"

State park in Rockaway slated for closure

From the Daily News:

As part of a drastic bid to plug a $9 billion budget deficit, the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation has chosen Bayswater as one of two state parks slated for closure.

If the budget, due April 1, is approved, this would be the first time in history a state park has been shuttered other than for seasonal closures, said agency spokesman Dan Keefe.

The closure would leave many city reel-casters without a fishing hole. It has also infuriated elected officials and advocates who note that the savings from the closure would be a measly $5,500 a year.

"In times like these we need our parks more than ever," said Geoffrey Croft, president of NYC Park Advocates.

The recession has forced many people to scale back on vacations, and families are instead relying on nearby public spaces for escape.

Jonathan Gaska, district manager of Community Board 14, called the closure "almost punitive."

"That's less than a rounding error," Gaska said of the $5,500 figure compared with the 10-figure deficit. "At that rate, you would have to close 20,000 parks this size."

But state officials said every penny adds up.

I'm sure the fact that it's located in a not-wealthy black neighborhood has nothing to do with the decision. Since they only put $5,500 into maintenance of this site to begin with shows you how much they care about it.

Bayswater State Park to close

From Crains:

New York parks officials have recommended shutting 41 parks and 14 historic sites in the fiscal year starting April 1, with service reductions at 23 other parks and 1 historic site as the state faces an $8.2 billion budget deficit.

The Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation says it's also proposing $4 million in fee increases.

Some of the most popular among the 178 state parks and 35 historic sites would remain open and staffed. Jones Beach on Long Island would close its west swimming pool and eliminate July 4 fireworks. Niagara Falls State Park would reduce its interpretive programs.

In Queens, Bayswater Point State Park will close and on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, Riverbank State Park will reduce its operating hours, close its outdoor swimming pool, and eliminate seniors classes and community events.

Parks spokeswoman Eileen Larabee says Friday that officials would review each closed park to determine whether the public could still visit, though parking areas would likely be closed.