Next American City ~ City Parks

Public-Private Partnerships to improve and sustain our Parks:

Next American City » Buzz » Issue 27 Preview: The High Cost of Free Parks


The New York City: Public-Private Partnership Snapshot:

• The Central Park Conservancy was founded in 1980, it raises 85% of the parks $27MM annual operating budget
• According to the NYC Parks Department, half of the city's 1,800 parks and playgrounds now depend on some type of private group for maintenance
• In 2008 the Madison Square Park Conservancy raised more than $3.1 MM from donations, corporate-sponsored events and Shake Shack proceeds & held cash and securities of almost $8MM; employed 28 maintenance staffers, guards, & administrators

I have mixed feelings about the benefits of the public-private partnerships in New York City Parks, on the one hand I have enjoyed many wonderful moments in the public-private partnership parks of NYC, and now after reading this article I can't help but wonder at the expense of whom.