Parks Department Launches Mulchfest 2022 for Collection of Christmas Trees

In 2020, the Parks Department broke a record with over 50,900 trees mulched. Today, December 26, 2022, the Parks Department launches this year’s “Mulchfest,” where New Yorkers can mulch their live Christmas trees at locations in all five boroughs. The mulch can be used for gardening and to improve soil fertility. The mulch helps retain moisture, adds nutrients, and keeps roots warm. The mulch Parks collects is used to help city trees and community gardens <Read More>


LPC Holds Public Hearing for Melrose Parkside Historic District

The “Kinko” duplex houses are a unique product of Brooklyn featuring vertically stacked two-story apartments. On October 18, 2022, the Landmarks Preservation Commission held a public hearing for the proposed Melrose Parkside Historic District in the Prospect Lefferts Gardens neighborhood in Brooklyn. The proposed historic district would consist of 38 houses along both sides of Parkside Avenue between Flatbush Avenue and Bedford Avenue. It includes the properties from 357 to 413 Parkside Avenue on the <Read More>


DOT Launches Bike Parking Pilot Program

The pods are enclosed to provide secure bicycle parking. On March 11, 2022, the New York City Department of Transportation announced the launch of a bicycle parking pilot program which will provide protected curbside biking corrals in five locations in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. As more New Yorkers choose cycling as a mode of transportation, secure bike parking options will be in greater demand.


Mayor Adams Appoints Parks Leadership

On February 4, 2022, Mayor Eric Adams announced his appointments to lead the Department of Parks and Recreation. The appointments are Susan M. Donoghue as Commissioner of the Parks Department, and Iris Rodriguez-Rosa as First Deputy Commissioner. The appointments are the latest in Mayor Adams’ new administration. 


Mayor Announces $40 Million Allocation to Restore Prospect Park Vale

A previous public engagement process revealed the desire for flexible community space, restrooms, and an amphitheater. On December 16, 2021, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced an allocation of $40 million to restore parts of the Vale in Prospect Park. The Vale is a 26-acre stretch in the northeast corner of Prospect Park. The allocation is the largest in history for the Prospect Park Alliance, the non-profit that maintains the park in partnership with city government.