Parks commissioner defends FY27 plan as council presses on staffing, restrooms and tree care

Summary

Commissioner Trisha Shimamura told the City Council’s parks committee the FY27 preliminary operating budget for Parks is $654 million and the 10-year capital plan totals $12 billion, but warned a $33.7 million drop vs. FY26 adopted (driven by routine oneshot expirations) would put seasonal hires, lifeguard recruitment and forest care at risk.

Trisha Shimamura, commissioner of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, gave a broad overview of the agency’s responsibilities and the FY27 preliminary plan at a council parks committee hearing, and defended the administration’s priorities while answering sustained line-by-line questions from council members.

Shimamura told the committee the administration’s 10-year capital plan allocates $12 billion to park projects and the FY27 preliminary operating budget for the agency is $654 million. She said the $33.7 million decrease from the FY26 adopted budget largely reflects the routine expiration of one-year “oneshot” items — funding lines the council and administration negotiate annually — not permanent base reductions. “Our park spaces are free and open to all New Yorkers,” Shimamura said in the hearing, emphasizing the agency’s role across 30,000 acres, thousands of trees and hundreds of built assets.

Council members pressed the commissioner about line items they…

Parks commissioner defends FY27 plan as council presses on staffing, restrooms and tree care

Summary

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