Partnerships for Parks - Webinar Series: NYC Community Groups, Parks, and the COVID-19 Crisis

In these unprecedented times, we realize more than ever how crucial our parks are to our health and well-being. New York City parks remain open as City and State authorities recognize green space as an essential part of public health. As New Yorkers turn to parks to connect with nature and relieve stress, all of us at PfP are working remotely to support communities who care for parks; addressing needs now and preparing for the future. Join us at our Partnerships Academy Webinar Series to discuss these issues and build a path forward. You can also double your fundraising efforts with a matching fund grant and read about our ongoing visioning work.

Photo by Daniel Avila, NYC Parks PARTNERSHIPS ACADEMY WEBINAR SERIES: NYC COMMUNITY GROUPS, PARKS, AND THE COVID-19 CRISIS As the scale and impact of COVID-19 transforms our city, our lives, and our ability to care for neighborhood green spaces, it’s more important than ever to stay connected. Towards this goal, we have designed a new series of interactive webinars for NYC community members, leaders, and park advocates.  At these sessions we will: Share experiences and inspiration with one another about how we are caring for ourselves, our families, and our communities. Talk about how community group needs have changed- and ask for feedback on what Partnerships Academy webinar topics would be helpful in the coming months. Provide information and resources from Partnerships for Parks, City Parks Foundation, NYC Parks, and other expert speakers to help you manage this crisis. Featured Speakers: To be announced Registration for this session is required. You will receive information on how to join the webinar once you register. Feel free to join any or all of these sessions. All are welcome. Session 1: Thursday, April 23 from 6:00 pm to 7:15 pm Session 2: Saturday, April 25  from 2:00 pm to 3:15 pm Session 3: Wednesday, April 29 from 12:00 pm to 1:15 pm Session 4: Monday, May 11 from 6:00 pm to 7:15 pm REGISTER PFP CROWDFUNDING CHALLENGE Planning for the future of your park? The Partnerships for Parks Crowdfunding Challenge provides up to $2,500 in matching funds to approved community projects that are hosted through an ioby crowdfunding campaign. Projects benefiting an NYC green space—including parks, community gardens, street trees, and green streets—are eligible to have their ioby crowdfunding campaign matched. If approved, Partnerships for Parks contributes one dollar for every dollar raised up to $2,500. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. APPLY NOW COMMUNITY VISIONING HOSTS FIRST VIRTUAL SESSION Our Visioning Cohort is continuing its workshop series online. On April 1st, representatives from five different community groups representing each of the boroughs logged onto an evening webinar to learn about the NYC Parks Capital Process. Guest speaker and Chief of Landscape Architecture Nancy Prince and Senior Project Manager of Design Judy Tung from the NYC Parks Capital Division explained how community input is incorporated into final park designs. Cohort members left with a better understanding of how to advocate for the kinds of physical improvements their community would most like to see. LEARN MORE Partnerships for Parks is a joint program of City Parks Foundation and NYC Parks that supports and champions a growing network of leaders caring and advocating for neighborhood parks and green spaces. We equip people and organizations with the skills and tools needed to transform these spaces into dynamic community assets. Our mailing address is: City Parks Foundation 830 5th Avenue New York, NY 10065

CRESPO HAILS COURT OF APPEALS DECISION THAT ALLOWS MUNCIPALITIES TO BAN SEX SHOPS AND STRIP CLUBS NEAR CHURCHES, SCHOOLS, PARKS

Calls for other cities across New York State to use ruling to clean up their communities from such lewd businesses

The following is a statement being released by Assemblyman Marcos Crespo, Chair of the Assembly Puerto Rican/Hispanic Task Force, on efforts to halt the proliferation of “adult” shops from being located in residential neighborhoods.

“For over decades and more aggressively over the past few years there has been a strong push to stop the proliferation of “adult” shops and strip clubs into residential communities.   Legislation I authored on this issue was considered a possible violation of First Amendment rights (Assembly Bill 6832 of 2015).

Yesterday’s unanimous ruling by the New York Court of Appeals allowing municipalities like New York City the ability to enforce its 2001 law to restrict the location of these establishments near schools, parks, churches and is most neighborhoods is a tremendous victory for families and children.

In my community and many more throughout New York State and New York City, parents and community leaders have found themselves helpless to prevent such establishments from setting up in the core of their neighborhood life.

These establishments have a history of attracting criminal activity, sex trafficking, drug trafficking and lewd behavior.

I applaud the Court of Appeals decision that allows policymakers to protect the moral fabric of our communities without infringing on Constitutional guaranteed rights of free speech.

The Court has clearly decided that the focus of these establishments on sexually explicit materials and activities allows them to be regulated as New York City has done.

I encourage other localities and cities in New York State to use this court decision to clean up their neighborhoods and protect their families and children from the associated lewd and dangerous activities that follow strip clubs and pornography dens.