Closing in on the first anniversary of the Community Parks Initiative (CPI), Partnerships for Parks is excited to announce five new staff additions to support our ongoing efforts citywide. Through a grant made possible by American Express, NYC Service and NYC Parks, Partnerships for Parks will host five NYC Civic Corps (part of the New York State AmeriCorps program) for the next ten months, forming a new Community Parks Team.
The Community Parks Initiative (CPI) is an intensive mayoral program to advance equity in New York City parks. In October 2014, Mayor Bill de Blasio with NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver announced the launch of CPI, a multifaceted investment leveraging capital, programming, maintenance and stewardship-building commitments to rebuild smaller park communities across 55 low-income, high-density, and high population growth neighborhoods.
This past year, Partnerships for Parks Outreach Coordinators engaged over 1,100 community members to provide insight on what they believed would make a newly redesigned park great. After hosting 31* community input (scope) meetings and collecting over 650 surveys, NYC Parks has completed one third of the capital process and is on track to reconstructing 35 parks by the end of 2017. You can view a full list of CPI capital projects here and follow the progress of capital projects by clicking here.
Over the next year, Partnerships for Parks will be providing resources such as trainings and workshops to develop programming, unite community park visions, and strengthen neighborhood park leadership/group development. By doing so, our aim is to help communities unite, plan and prepare to reinvigorate their parks. To support our growing portfolio of community partners, we’re excited to introduce the new Community Parks Team. Meet the five new members and learn more about them below!
Isaac (Izzy) Doughty / Isaac.Doughty@parks.nyc.gov
Last Summer, I had the pleasure of interning with NYC Parks at Crotona Park. This experience taught me that parks serve as an invaluable community asset providing a safe space for positive recreation, a platform for cultural pride and celebration, and a forum for building community cohesion. I am delighted for the opportunity to work with Partnerships’ to empower park goers citywide through the Community Parks Initiative.
Fun Fact: On my spare time, I like to play chess, bicycle, and of course, go to the park.
Ismael Guzman / Ismael.Guzman@parks.nyc.gov
Despite my field of study being Environmental Science, I honestly have never worked in the field. I am very excited to see how I can contribute to this environment since it is new to me. As a person that uses parks I am excited to see how we can use different methods to help people take advantage of all parks have to offer.
Fun Fact: I am a very athletic person and I love to watch and play soccer almost as much as I possibly can.”
William (Bill) Pape / William.Pape@parks.nyc.gov
I have served as a director in communications and member relations at two statewide membership based not-for-profits and am looking forward to using my skills in development or fundraising.
Fun Fact: I had a day named after me in Albany, New York (blush)
Lindsay Sierra / Lindsay.Sierra@parks.nyc.gov
I spent this summer interning in the Department of Local Government Assistance at NJ DEP. Before that I interned at the nonprofit organization HomeFront. I worked in their Lawrence Community Center developing effective community outreach and programs.
Fun Fact: As a child, I played violin for five years and am hoping to pick it back up again!
Gloria Tate / Gloria.Tate@parks.nyc.gov
Most of my professional experience has been working for or serving on the boards of nonprofits. This opportunity with Partnerships for Parks will allow me to combine my personal interest in community organizing with public green spaces. I enjoyed completing a year of service in Chicago and wanted to have the opportunity to make the same contribution to NYC!
Fun Fact: I once ran for a political office in Michigan
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