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Council advances bill to open at least 15 schoolyards a year to public use, prioritizing environmental-justice areas
Summary
Intro 5‑66B would require DOE and Parks to produce an annual plan to expand public access to school playgrounds, prioritizing environmental-justice neighborhoods and listing at least 15 schoolyards feasible for weekend and after-school opening.
Council member Gail Brewer, sponsor of Intro 5‑66B, described the bill during the June 11 meeting as an effort to increase public access to outdoor schoolyards in New York City. Brewer said there are 945 school buildings with outdoor yards citywide, of which about 288 (roughly 30%) are open to the public outside school hours; her bill would expand the number of schoolyards open by at least 15 per year and prioritize low-income communities with the least access to open space.
Brewer listed a set of endorsing organizations included in the committee materials and thanked staff for work on the bill. She framed the requirement as a method to expand safe outdoor recreation for children and families and to prioritize openings in environmental-justice areas.
The bill was reported out of committee and placed on the general-orders calendar as “amended and coupled.” Supporters said the plan would include an annual list of at least 15 school playgrounds that could be opened to the public on weekends and after school hours.
