| Introduction
These
reports provide the baseline information needed
to assess patterns of regional open space and
recreational opportunities in each borough. They
are an essential first step toward realizing open
space and recreational goals for New York City,
including:
-
- expanding
the range of recreational activities and
open space experiences available to all
city residents;
- taking
full advantage of existing recreational
facilities and open spaces; and
- enhancing
protection and fostering public awareness
of the city's significant natural features.
The
New York City Department of Parks and Recreation
manages most of the city's properties devoted
to public open space and recreation. However,
no inventory of publicly accessible open space
would be complete without scores of facilities
under the jurisdiction of other public and private
agencies. More than a dozen government agencies,
such as the National Park Service, the New York
State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic
Preservation, the New York City Board of Education
and the New York City Housing Authority, are important
providers of recreational services in the city.
Non-profit entities such as the Police Athletic
League and the Y's also have a long tradition
of providing free or low-cost recreational programs
throughout the city.
For
the first time, all these open space services
have been brought together in one database. Initially,
the database will include only publicly accessible
facilities of
regional
importance, that is, those with a service area
beyond the local neighborhood. Local facilities
-- playgrounds, basketball and handball courts,
and community gardens for example -- could be
added in a later phase of the project.
These
reports present data in two formats: Computer-generated
maps provide a quick visual understanding of the
quantity and distribution of various types of
open spaces and facilities -- field sports, court
sports, trails, water sports, skating, golf, recreation
centers, natural areas, zoos and major gardens.
Accompanying charts provide exact locations and
pertinent details, including agency jurisdiction
and available programs. In addition to this information
on recreational resources, overview maps of population
densities, transportation routes and community
district parkland ratios provide a framework for
assessing open space needs and opportunities.
These
reports could not have been produced without the
help and cooperation of a number of city agencies,
non-profit organizations and citizens keenly interested
in open space and recreation. The Department is
particularly indebted to the Department of Parks
and Recreation for its guidance and generous assistance
with compiling and verifying data about the many
hundreds of facilities under its jurisdiction.
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