The Trust for Public Land: New York News (summer 2018)

Community Barbecue at P.S. 261 in Boerum Hill

New York News

Summer & Fall 2018 | Volume 1 | Issue 2

Index: Letter from Carter Strickland, State Director...................... 2 Donor Highlight: Meet Mike Schnall................................... 3 The Trust for Public Land in Action...................................... 5 News from Across the Country............................................ 6 Playgrounds Program........................................................... 7 Community Conservation ................................................... 8 Upcoming Events.................................................................. 9

The Trust for Public Land:

Transforming Communities

Dear Friends, I’m thrilled to announce that this October The Trust for Public Land will open its 200th playground in New York City, and we cannot think of a better way to celebrate the back-toschool season!

What does it mean that we have built 200 playgrounds? It means that:

4 million New Yorkers live within a 10-minute walk of a Trust for Public Land playground.

150 schools have outdoor classrooms that are surrounded by nature.

1 million students have a close-to-home playground to play and connect to each other.

8 million gallons of stormwater are not overflowing our gray infrastructure and pushing sewage out into our waterways.

At The Trust for Public Land, we know that greater access to green space is a basic indicator of quality of life and is improving lives and communities across the country. Our research shows that parks – and access to them – are critical infrastructure, serving to anchor communities and spark revitalization. A park might not fully solve an issue such as housing or employment, but it is unique in its ability to provide community-specific, multi-layered solutions.

I write today with great pride as we reach the milestone of 200 playgrounds in our dream of a New York that is without barren, asphalt schoolyards and lots. Parks are where families and children of all ages meet, play, excercise, reflect, and connect to nature and each other. We will continue to convene communities, empower students, and build functional, vibrant green space, and will move full steam ahead to incorporate critical green infrastructure components in playgrounds across all five boroughs.

We cannot do any of this without your support. We thank you for getting us this far, and we look forward to working with you in our efforts for a greener New York.

With warm regards,

Carter Strickland New York State Director

Donor Highlight: Meet Mike: Staten Islander, Runner, Suffering Mets Fan, and Park Advocate!

Mike Schnall, Principal Nancy Spatarobellocch (P.S. 32),,and Peter Ciaccia …my love affair with parks grows stronger every day. Parks in New York City are what keep this city livable, give respite from the hustle and bustle of daily life, and serve as the lungs and lifeblood of every neighborhood in the five boroughs.

– Mike Schnall, VP, Government Relations & Community Investment, New York Road Runners In 2016 New York Road Runners (NYRR) and The Trust for Public Land partnered to change the landscape of New York City by creating safe spaces for neighbors to explore, play, and run!

Three-ish years later and seven playgrounds funded, close to 170,000 more New Yorkers will live within a 10-minute walk of a quality park. This incredible, impactful partnership is in large part due to Mike Schnall, New York Road Runners’ Vice President of Government Relations & Community Investment.

When asked what inspired Mike to explore a partnership with The Trust for Public Land, he replied, “so much of your mission excites me.” Together, we can “inspire people through running…The Trust for Public Land and NYRR’s partnership takes our collective work, amplifies our collective resources, and brings safe green spaces and active recreation to communities in need all across New York City.”

Mike’s love of parks and playgrounds started at a young age. “I spent a lot of my time in nearby schoolyards and in nearby parks, riding my bike, playing basketball (I was not very good), and fishing.” continued on next page

Donor Highlight: His passion for urban parks didn’t fully take root until he took a job in City Council. “I learned about how challenging it was to maintain and build new parks with a budget that was so small compared to the entire city budget. “ To know Mike, is to know not only his love of green space, but, of course, Staten Island. Some call it the forgotten borough, others The Rock. Mike, well, he calls it home. “I love Staten Island because it is where I grew up, where I’m raising my children, and where I have worked to build a better community.”

“I am a fan of underdogs, and much like the New York Mets, Staten Island is an underdog that deserves support... Staten Island has everything a family could need: great schools, beautiful parks, great commercial opportunities, wonderfully diverse neighborhoods, and access to New York City via the most iconic form of transportation, the Staten Island Ferry.

Staten Island is the official Borough of Parks, and as a runner, father, and lover of trees, what else can you ask for?!”

After spending any amount of time with Mike, it is evident that this passion and love for a better Staten Island fuels his resolve for stronger communities through green space across all our beloved boroughs.

At The Trust for Public Land, we always say that we are working tirelessly to make New York a more livable place. Well, Mike does this everyday with a runner’s twist! “NYRR continues to improve and evolve what it does in both the running industry and in communities all over New York City. This inspiration keeps me working hard to bring running and walking opportunities to all corners of New York City.”

At the end of the interview, we asked Mike what have been his favorite moments in working with The Trust for Public Land and, honestly, we couldn’t have said it better! “The moments that stand out for me over the last three years are seeing children marvel at the site of their finished playgrounds, seeing the fruits of their hard work, and running around the playgrounds with pure joy on their faces. Knowing that New York Road Runners and The Trust for Public Land are changing lives and communities, one playground at a time, is incredibly fulfilling.”

From all of us at The Trust for Public Land, THANK YOU, MIKE AND NEW YORK ROAD RUNNERS!

Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeNYRR!

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The Trust for Public Land:

snapshots of 22 Years of Playgrounds!

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News from Across the Country:

The Trust for Public Land’s technology is changing how Americans advocate for parks.

Our Center for City Park Excellence helps make cities more successful by collecting important data about the social, ecological, and economic benefits of parks.

The Trust for Public Land believes that residents, park professionals, planners, media, and all who love parks need accessible data that highlight the realities of urban park and recreation systems.

Data is knowledge, and knowledge is power. City Park Facts includes information on the 100 most populous cities in the United States. Collectively, these cities are home to 64.5 million people, or roughly 20 percent of the United States population.

To learn more about 2018 City Park Facts, visit www.tpl.org/10minutewalk

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Playgrounds Program:

every New Yorker deserves a quality park within a 10-minute walk of home.

Here in New York, we are nearing our 200th Playground! We can tell you how great our program is or you can come see for yourself! See below for the fall schedule.

New York Playgrounds Openings

Wednesday, October 10, 2018 - P.S. 33M, 281 9th Ave, Manhattan, NY Tuesday, October 23, 2018 - P.S. 213K, 580 Hegeman Ave, Brooklyn, NY (200th Playground!)

Monday, October 29, 2018 10AM-11AM - J.H.S 227Q, 32-02 Junction Blvd, Queens, NY

Consider joining us for Participatory Design and see how students create the playgrounds of their dreams! This three month process offers opportunities for students to learn science, technology, rudimentary civil engineering, and math.

P.S. 115: 1500 East 92nd Street, Brooklyn, NY 11236 (Location: Library RM 239) Participatory design workshops will be held on the following dates:

Thursday, October 4, 2018 – Design Day 1 (10AM-12PM)

Thursday, October 18, 2018 – Sewer in a Suitcase (10AM-12PM)

Thursday, November 1 , 2018 – Templates (10AM-12PM)

Friday, November 16, 2018 – Templates (10AM-12PM)

Thursday, December 6, 2018 – Review of Final Design & Color Seal (10AM-11AM) P.S./I.S. 377K: 200 Woodbine Street, Brooklyn, NY 11221 (Location: Library RM 234) Participatory design workshops will be held on the following dates:

Wednesday, October 10, 2018 – Design Day 1 (9:30AM-11:30AM)

Wednesday, October 24, 2018 – Sewer in a Suitcase (9:30AM-11:30AM)

Wednesday, November 7, 2018 – Templates (9:30AM-11:30AM)

Wednesday, November 21, 2018 – Templates (9:30AM-11:30AM)

Wednesday, December 4, 2018 – Review of Final Design (9:30AM-10:30AM)

Tuesday, December12, 2018 – Review of Final Design & Color Seal (10AM-11AM) If interested in attending any of the Participatory Design sessions, please contact: Arati Patel, Philanthropy Coordinator at 212.574.6855 or Arati.Patel@tpl.org.

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Community Conservation:

every New Yorker deserves access to the great outdoors.

The Trust for Public Land Protects The Appalachian Trail: 219-Acre Parcel Transferred to the National Park Service for Trail Protection and Enhancement The Trust for Public Land acquired the 219-acre Corbin Hill property near Pawling, New York in an effort to enhance protection for the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, the popular hiking trail that runs from Georgia to Maine. The Trust for Public Land will transfer the property to the National Park Service in order to permanently protect the land from development. Prior to its acquisition, the property was proposed for a 50 unit residential subdivision known as the “Wind Rose Development.”

The property lies just below the Cat Rocks overlook, a spectacular vista that is one of the highlights of the A.T. in New York, and the land purchase ensures that the picturesque views of the Harlem Valley are not interrupted by housing developments! This project is just one in a larger National Appalachian Trail vision.

Meet Francis O’Shea, our new New York State Project Manager!

Francis was born and raised in Manhattan. From hiking the Appalachian Trail along the New York/Connecticut border as a boy, to climbing the cliffs of the Shawagunk Mountains and Keene Valley while attending Skidmore College, Francis has called New York home for most of his life. Prior to joining TPL, Francis spent almost a decade in the real estate industry. He is passionate about land conservation and addressing the effects of climate change, and is a volunteer firefighter in his hometown of Irvington, NY, where he lives with his wife Erika, their two daughters, Margaret and Edith, and their dog Bessie.

Feel free to email Francis at francis.oshea@tpl.org!

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Upcoming Events:

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leave a

LEGACY.

Protect the places you love by making a gift to The Trust for Public Land in your estate plans.

By naming The Trust for Public Land as a beneficiary of your will, living trust, or retirement account, you can make a visionary gift that will conserve land for generations to come.

For more information, please contact Gardner Trimble at 415.800.5208.

t p l . org / p l an n e d g i vi n g ¡ p l a n n e d g i vi ng@t p l . o rg

1. P.S. 111 in Hell’s Kitchen 2. M.S. 267/La Cima Charter School in Bed-Stuy 3. P.S. 366X in Throgs Neck 4. J.H.S 185 in Flushing 5. P.S. 154M/ Democracy Prep in Harlem 6. P.S. 15 in the East Village renovated playgrounds listed from left to right

To learn more about our playgrounds in all five boroughs - from the Bronx to Staten Island please contact: Leslie Brauman Director of Philanthropy 212.574.6890 or leslie.brauman@tpl.org

www.tpl.org/newyork