OVERVIEW
The enacted state budget for fiscal year 2008 it includes $95 million in capital funding for state park projects. This is the first step in the long overdue process of rebuilding the state's parks. This infusion of capital comes at a time when the park system is showing visible and measurable signs of decay after decades of deferred maintenance and lack of staff.

State and local parks face urgent capital funding needs.  As highlighted in Parks & Trails New York’s report, Parks at a Turning Point – Restoring and Enhancing New York’s State Park System, the park agency’s capital budget today, adjusted for inflation, is half what it was in 1992.  Yet over the past 15 years, 29 new parks were added to the system.

The enacted state budget for fiscal year 2008-2009 is the first step in the long overdue process of rebuilding the state park system; it includes $95 in capital funding for state park projects. This infusion of capital comes at a time when the park system is showing visible and measurable signs of decay after decades of deferred maintenance and lack of staff. 

According to Parks at a Turning Point and the most recent estimate given by the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP), $650 million is needed over the next several years to address park capital funding needs statewide.  OPRHP Commissioner Carol Ash has flagged aging sewer systems, dams of questionable integrity, failing electrical systems, crumbling and leaking swimming pools and cabins that are being held together with “duct tape and spray foam” as just a few examples of the urgent capital projects in all 11 state park regions that must be undertaken over the next several years to ensure public safety, provide access to recreation, protect natural resources, and open new parks.

A WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY
Those of us who treasure our parks must organize NOW to be able to take advantage of the current window of opportunity to direct public attention and investment to our parks.

The Campaign for Parks is a new coalition of individuals, nonprofit groups, and other stakeholders that have come together to advocate for increased state and federal funding to protect and revitalize New York’s state and local parks. 

THE CAMPAIGN’S GOALS

  • Ensure that this year’s $95 million in the 2008-2009 state budget is only the first step on the road to completely funding the $650 million in urgently needed capital projects over the next several years
  • Secure a significant increase in OPRHP’s annual operations funding
  • Strengthen grassroots park “friends” groups to speak out about the needs and benefits of New York’s parks
  • Work to educate decision makers, opinion leaders, and the general public about the importance of New York’s parks to our economy, environment, health, and quality of life.

The Campaign for Parks, a project of Parks & Trails New York, is a coalition of individuals, nonprofit organizations, and businesses working towards the improvement of our parks for the benefit of all New Yorkers.  All contributions to the Campaign are fully tax-deductible.

THE CAMPAIGN FOR PARKS AT A GLANCE

ACHIEVEMENTS

  • We published Parks at a Turning Point – Restoring and Enhancing New York’s State Park System in November 2006, calling attention to the urgent capital funding needs of New York’s parks.  The report received extensive press coverage, followed by numerous support editorials.
  • We organized the first-ever Parks Advocacy Day, bringing park advocates to Albany to educate legislators about the importance of New York’s parks.
  • The 2007 New York State budget included a modest increase in support for state parks with an eight percent rise in General Fund support, $3 million more for infrastructure, and 52 new staff positions.
  • Carol Ash, Commissioner of the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, call our report her “bible”; ORRHP issued an assessment of parks identifying $650 million in urgently needed infrastructure projects, covering all 11 state park regions.
  • Testified at the joint legislative hearing on the state budget.
  • Drafted, and circulated a sign-on letter for parks Friends groups and other park supporters regarding the importance of funding parks.
  • We released No Turning Back, a follow up to the Parks at a Turning Point report
  • We organized the second annual Parks Advocacy Day, bringing park advocates to Albany to educate legislators about the importance of adequately funding needed capital improvements in New York’s parks.
  • The enacted state budget for fiscal year includes $95 million in capital funding for park projects.
  • The enacted state budget also includes 32 new positions for OPRHP.

GOALS

  • Ensure that the $95 million in capital funding is the first installment toward achieving $650 million in need capital investments in state parks.
  • Build a bigger constituency around park issues.
  • Organize parks Friends groups and other park supporter into a broad-based, effective force for New York’s parks, mobilized to protect parks’ extraordinary legacy for years to come.
  • Increase private support of state parks
  • Continue to educate legislators about the contributions of parks to the health, quality of life, and economies of their districts and the entire state.
  • Host the third annual Parks Advocacy Day in 2009.

 

 


 

  
           
 

29 Elk Street w Albany, NY 12207 w (ph) 518-434-1583 w (fax) 518-427-0067 w ptny@ptny.org

Parks & Trails New York is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization as defined by the IRS.