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DNAinfo – Riverbank State Park Losing Rangers to Layoffs
Riverbank State Park sits atop a sewage treatment plant along Riverside Drive in Harlem (C. Andrew/Flickr)
December 14, 2010
By Jon Schuppe
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN — Riverbank State Park in Harlem is losing all four of its rangers, just months after its operating hours were cut to help close a state budget gap.
The state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation sent layoff letters to the rangers earlier this month, telling them their jobs would end Jan. 1.
That means the 28-acre park, which runs along the river from West 137th Street to West 145th Street, will be without any full-time rangers, who patrol the grounds and help people navigate the facilities, union officials said. The rangers are considered by many to be the public face of the park.
The rangers’ union representatives complained that they weren’t given enough notice of the layoffs, and complained about the timing, in which workers were given pink slips just before the holidays.
“We understand the fiscal implications, which we’ve all been dealing with for several budget cycles. But these are human beings,” said Chris Hickey, executive vice-president of the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association, the union that represents the rangers.
Riverbank State Park's popular sports facilities include an ice rink where about 170 children play hockey. (Jon Schuppe/DNAinfo)
Riverbank State Park’s popular sports facilities include an ice rink where about 150 children play hockey. (Jon Schuppe/DNAinfo)
A parks department spokesman declined to comment, and referred questions to the state budget office, where a spokeswoman also declined to comment.
Although they are responsible in part for the parks’ security, the rangers are not armed, and are not police. Riverbank has its own team of state park police.
The layoffs are part of nearly 900 across state government announced by Gov. David Paterson, who said he needed them to meet a goal of $250 million in workforce reductions. He blamed union leaders for failing to give concessions that would have gone toward the savings goal.
Earlier this year, Paterson cut hours at Riverbank as part of a plan to close a $8.2 billion deficit. Hundreds of residents rallied at the park in protest, accusing the state of reneging on its commitment to the facility, which was built in the early 1990s in exchange for the construction of a sewage treatment facility below it.
Brad Taylor, who chairs Community Board 9’s waterfront and parks committee, said the layoffs portended further cuts at Riverbank.
“It’s just not right that the community continues to have this burden put on it daily, and the park keeps getting put on the cutting block,” Taylor said.
In addition to the four rangers at Riverbank, the state is laying off the one ranger who works at Roberto Clemente State Park in the Bronx.
No other rangers at any other New York state parks are being let go, Hickey said.
Patrick Robinson, the Roberto Clemente ranger, said he has been worked there for 23 years and is now trying in vain to find another job. He is 46 and married with five children.
“I’ve been working there forever and it’s like they don’t have any respect for me,” Robinson said.
FOX5 – Should NYS State Parks Be Privatized?
Updated: Wednesday, 07 Jul 2010, 12:14 AM EDT
Published : Wednesday, 07 Jul 2010, 12:14 AM EDT
CLICK IMAGE TO SEE VIDEO REPORT
MYFOXNY.COM – As with every state agency, the New York State Parks Department is dealing with a slashed budget. The department oversees 35 historic sites and 178 parks, including golf course and beaches.
Fox 5 explores the spirited debate about whether New York should explore privatization as a way to save money at state parks.
Geoffrey Croft of NYC Park Advocates, a nonprofit watchdog group, discussed the issue with Leonard Gilroy, of Reason Foundation, a nonprofit think tank. Croft doesn’t support privatizing state parks, but Gilroy says public-private partnerships could generate money for the state.
NYSR – Thank You!
MEMORIAL DAY AT RIVERBANK – MAY 31, 2010
June 3, 2010
Lewis Burgess
When Governor Paterson and Commissioner Ash proposed to close dozens of NYS State Parks and historic sites and reduce operating hours, classes, pools, and services at dozens of others on February 19th, no one imagined that there would be an unrelenting state-wide outcry rejecting the proposal.
On March 3rd, Senator Jose M. Serrano and Assemblyman Steve Englebright rallied Senators and Assemblymembers to the cause. From beginning to end, the two legislators were unrelenting in their efforts to restore funding to NYS parks and historic sites Kudos to them.
And once informed, citizens across the state, upstate and downstate, began to organize hold rallies and campaign to keep our parks and historic sites open and operating as usual.
Riverbankers also rallied and campaigned to save Riverbank non-stop from March 4th to May 28th. Riverbankers joined together at rallies at Riverbank, in front of the NYS Office Building, and at a vigil on May 17th at the 137th Street entrance. Riverbankers called, wrote and met with legislators, interviewed with NY1, the Daily News, El Diario, Amsterdam News, DNAInfo, manned info and petition tables, bought Save Riverbank t-shirts and swim caps, made Riverbank videos for YouTube, designed graphics, blogged, reported, researched and Facebooked. 5,297 of us signed a petition that was sent to Governor Paterson, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Majority Conference Leader Senator John L. Sampson. The Riverbank Community of park users spread the word to save Riverbank.
Our local legislators also responded to the call to hold Riverbank harmless in the budget crisis. Assemblymen Daniel O’Donnell, Keith L.T. Wright and Herman D. Farrell joined the fray early with their March 3rd joint letter to Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. Senator Eric Schneiderman appealed to Governor Paterson and Senator Sampson on March 24th. Since then Herman D. Farrell carried the cause to the floor of the Assembly and fought for Riverbank. They all voted in the affirmative in the Senate and Assembly budget resolutions to restore NYS parks as well as the bills that freed the parks and historic sites from devastating budget cuts.
Quietly in the background, the Albany Office of OPRHP, the New York City Commission of the State Council of Recreation and Historic Preservation and Riverbank State Park administration and employees supported the Riverbank Community effort to restore the budget cuts from the beginning. Community Planning Board 9 sent a unanimously approved letter to Governor Paterson on May 21st.
The Riverbank Community thanks you all.
In the end, after much political brouhaha and wheeling and dealing in Albany, all NYS parks and historic parks where held harmless in the budget crisis on May 28th. The citizen’s outcry was heard, our parks were given back to us as it should be.
NYSR – ALL PARKS AND HISTORIC SITES ARE OPEN!
Players on Riverbank's Soccer/Football Field
May 28, 2010
Lewis Burgess
The Parks are Open for the Memorial Day Weekend and the Rest of the YEAR!
The Assembly (86-47) and Senate (32-27) and Assembly approved Governor Paterson’s Program Bill #267, A11308, S7988 early this morning at 2:59 am and afternoon at 2:37 pm. The bill provides $11.2 million dollars to maintain operations at 178 parks, 35 historic sites and all campgrounds in the Adirondacks and Catskills for State Fiscal Year 2010-2011. It will provide $134 million for a wide variety of environmental projects and establish a state-wide E-waste program to reuse and recycle electronic equipment that is expected to generate $4 million in revenues from fees, surcharges and penalties that will go into for the Environmental Protection Fund.
To achieve these results $80 million was diverted from Real Estate Transfer Tax (RETT) revenues. These revenues would have been deposited into the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF). $6 million of the $80 million went to reopen the 55 closed parks and historic sites. $5.2 million went to fund all the open parks and historic sites for the rest of the fiscal year. $5 million was used for payments to local governments in the forest preserve. The EPF received $130 million for RETT and $4 million from the E-Waste program. EPF funding in SFY 2009-10 was $212 million. This year EPF funding was reduced by$78 million.
OUR VOICES HAVE BEEN HEARD!
OUR LEGISLATORS AND GOVERNOR DID THE RIGHT THING! THANK YOU!
LET US ENJOY OUR PARKS THIS WEEKEND, THIS SUMMER AND FOR REST OF THE YEAR!
ENJOY RIVERBANK!
NYSR – Paterson says there appears to be an agreement to keep parks open, maybe
Governor David A. Paterson
May 27, 2010
Updated: May 27, 2010 at 10:16 pm
Lewis Burgess
Governor David Paterson says an agreement may be reached to keep all state parks open for the Memorial Day weekend if lawmakers approve the legislation.
On the “The John Gambling Show,” on WOR radio 710, Paterson said negotiations that ended early Thursday morning at 4:00 am would provide $11 million for full operations this year.
“We worked until about four o’clock in the morning and the staffs of the Senate and Assembly and the governor’s office appear to have resolved the issues about the state parks, if the legislators come in this morning and find that this is to their liking and, the Senate and Assembly members will conference this morning, then they will probably pass the needed legislation and the parks will be open,” Paterson said in the morning.
However, there have been conflciting reports throughout the day. Shortly after 5:00 p.m. when the Senate session ended, Senator Eric Schneiderman (D – Manhattan) told CBS 6 there were only “elements of a deal,” explaining that his conference had made changes to the governor’s draft of the bill.
Program Bill #267 is now ready for a vote and serves three purposes. The bill provides $11.2 million dollars to maintain operations at 178 parks, 35 historic sites and all campgrounds in the Adirondacks and Catskills. It will provide $134 million for a wide variety of environmental projects and establish a state-wide E-waste program to reuse and recycle electronic equipment that is expected to generate $4 million in revenues from fees, surcharges and penalties for the Environmental Protection Fund.
To achieve these results $80 million was diverted from Real Estate Transfer Tax (RETT) revenues. These revenues would have been deposited into the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF). $6 million of the $80 million went to reopen the 55 closed parks and historic sites. $5.2 million went to fund all of open parks and historic sites and $5 million was used for payments to local governments in the forest preserve. The EPF received $130 million for RETT and $4 million from the E-Waste program. EPF funding in SFY 2009-10 was $212 million. This year EPF funding was reduced by$78 million.
There is no guarantee that the bill will pass the Legislature because of legislator and environmental opposition to the $78 million reduction of the Environmental Protection Fund.
The Assembly and the Senate is expected to vote on the bill tomorrow, May 28th.
Amsterdam News – No green room
Riverbank State Park begins service reductions
Riverbank's chained and locked north gate
By CYRIL JOSH BARKER
Amsterdam News Staff
Early morning users of Riverbank State Park woke up to a locked gate on Monday as new hours at the park went into effect. Riverbank, which was previously open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., is now open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The scale back on hours comes as a result of Albany cutting budgets on all state parks.
Along with the shaving of operation hours, the park has also eliminated all activities, including over 75 senior programs and over 145 aquatic, athletic and cultural classes for people of all ages.
The Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation announced in February that 57 state parks and historic sites would feel the pinch of the 2010-11 budget. The cut is one of many across the state to close the $8.2 billion deficit.
Riverbank State Park is the third most visited park in the state after Niagara Falls and Jones Beach and sees over 1 million visitors.
Dozens of people gathered on Monday morning to protest the new hours. Many seniors use the park on a daily basis and will now have to go to other sites to participate in activities.
“A lot of people expecting to carry out their activities didn’t know the park was closed,” said Elizabeth Brett of the group New Yorkers to Save Riverbank. “What kind of message are they sending? There are no existing programs at Riverbank and right now registration is canceled.”
According to New Yorkers to Save Riverbank, park workers are being transferred with pay to other parks, including East River Park and Clay Pit Ponds. The organization said that with workers being transferred, there are no real savings.
“I’m a person who likes to do things early in the morning and I can’t do the swimming anymore,” said resident Mani Gilyard, who uses the park five days a week. “It’s difficult to move your schedule around to accommodate the other things.”
The cutting of hours and programs is also raising concerns about the massive number of young people who use the park and participate in activities and sports programs. Many say that with the elimination of summer camps, youth will have no alternative this summer while school isn’t in session.
Jamie Watts said she participates in Riverbank’s dancing and swimming classes. She said that the park is not only a lifesaver for elderly people to stay fit, but also saves the lives of young people.
She said, “Kids are going to be in the street this summer. They want us to go downtown and it’s just sickening and upsetting. I think it’s just wrong. We seniors like to go early and we like to be out by the time the kids come. It’s not fair to the seniors.”
Completed in 1993, the North River Water Pollution Control Plant was built where the park sits, despite strong protest from residents. As an agreement to allow the sewage plant to stay, Riverbank State Park was built over the sewage plant.
Gov. David Paterson has said that state lawmakers are making cuts to all services across the state and that parks are no exception. He added that the cuts are important on the road to the state’s “fiscal recovery.”
NY1 Noticias – Cambio de horario y cierres en el parque Riverbank
SEE VIDEO REPORT: http://www.ny1noticias.com/content/118781/cambio-de-horario-y-cierres-en-el-parque-riverbank
Puerta sur encadenado y encerrado en Riverbank
Residentes que buscaban entrar al parque Riverbank en el Alto Manhattan temprano por la mañana se llevaron una sorpresa al ver que el lugar estaba cerrado.
El parque es uno de los muchos en el Estado que serán clausurados o tendrán un recorte en sus horas de operación, esto debido al los recortes presupuestales.
Riverbank solía operar desde las 6 de la mañana hasta las 11 de la noche los días de semana, pero ahora sus puertas estarán abiertas desde las 11 de la mañana hasta las las 9 de la noche.
Las horas de operación durante los fines de semana han sido reducidas desde las 9 hasta las 7 de la noche.
La piscina al aire libre estará cerrada y las clases para la residentes de la tercera edad y los eventos comunitarios han sido eliminados.
El Gobernador Paterson informó que la crisis fiscal estatal ha causado que los cierres sean algo inevitable.<hr />
NY1 – Riverbank State Park Begins Limited Hours; Queens Park Closes
By: Roger Clark
Dozens of parks and historic sites across the state are shutting down or seeing their hours slashed starting this week, as a result of the state’s budget woes.
Bayswater Point State Park in Queens is now closed.
The 12-acre park at the tip of a peninsula in the Rockaways was known for its hiking and nature study opportunities.
It’s the only state park in the five boroughs that has closed. The rest are located upstate or on Long Island.
Operating hours are being reduced at Riverbank State Park in Harlem.
Riverbank used to be open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekdays, but now it’s open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Weekend hours have been slashed from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The park’s outdoor swimming pool has been closed, and senior classes and community events have been eliminated.
Riverbank's chained and locked south gate
Residents from the area gathered Monday to protest the reduced hours.
“The damage that is done to the community and to the social fabric here for something like this, is not something that anyone should take lightly,” said Jerry Bruck of the group New Yorkers to Save Riverbank.
“These are real New Yorkers that are actually affected today by these budget cuts and what we find particularly tragic is that it doesn’t seem to be any savings that are happening,” said Margaret Tobin, also of the group.
Governor David Paterson says the state’s fiscal crisis made the closures and service changes necessary.
NYSR – Riverbank1010
An hour in the life of Riverbank park. One of the hours that could be lost. At what cost?
Save Riverbank 
NYSR – Parks, Rocks, Hard Places — and Hope!
May 25, 2010
Lewis Burgess
The bill was leaked by senior officials in the Paterson Administration and was presented as a “parks bill” on Sunday night to the Associated Press.
The media took the leak for granted and published the hope that parks could reopen if the Senate and Assembly approved Governor Paterson’s “parks bill.”
For a half day or so on May 24th, it appeared to the public and to some Legislators that Paterson was offering a way through the budget impasse blocking park reopenings. The Governor now appeared to say “Yes” to park openings versus saying “No” repeatedly since February 18th. Then it all fell apart when it was realized that this was not a “parks bill” but an appropriations bill that contained monies in great excess of the $6 million mentioned in the leak.
Governor Paterson has consistently maintained that he would take all of the parks and historic sites off the chopping block if Legislature came up with substitutive cuts and/or revenues. If not, they all would be closed. So far, the Legislature has not come up with a plan to fund the parks.
Governor Paterson ordered the parks closed and service reductions enforced.
This was done though the budget and its proposed cuts were not passed and while there is sufficient payroll money in the extender bills to keep many if not all parks open. Governor Paterson closed the parks not because there was not enough money available but for other reasons left unspoken.
The Governor closed the parks by not giving authorization to the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) to keep them open until the budget is passed. At Riverbank State Park, employees were transfered to other parks with full pay and none were laid off.
The closing of the parks and service reductions were seen as a punitive measure used to pressure the Legislature to accept the Executive Budget or to pass one. The closings and service reductions sparked fierce state-wide debate and opposition to Governor Paterson’s position.
To alleviate the constant to pressure to open the parks and to push through a similar EPF reduction plan found in the Executive Budget, the Governor resorted again to pitting citizens, groups and Legislators against one another. The first move like this was the furlough measure.
In the Executive Budget, Governor Paterson planned to increase park and administrative fees and take $5,000,000 from the EPF to keep 34 parks and historic sites and service reductions at 18 additional facilities off the chopping block. However, 55 parks and historic sites would still be closed along with service reductions in 23 additional parks and 1 historic site.
So using the EPF to pay for the parks and other things is not a new recommendation. It was made before in the 2010-2011 Executive Budget.
The recommendation to shift EPF funds to finance parks was rejected by both the Senate and Assembly in their March budget resolutions. Despite these resolutions, Governor proposed it again on May 24th and upped the EPF reduction for park expenses by $1,000,000 to $6,000,000.
By submitting this bill for an up or down vote, Governor Paterson scrambled the Legislature’s continuous effort to have him re-open the parks and to hold the parks harmless in the process of settling a budget with a $9.2 billion deficit.
But as anticipated, the appropriations bill, which pits environmentalists, park goers, and Legislators against one another has not been received well. Over 200 environmental, health, agricultural, parks, recreational and urban stakeholder groups and coalitions want to see the appropriations bill bite the dust and are pressuring the Legislature and Legislators to do so. Park goers strongly want the parks to be re-opened and are putting pressure on their legislators to do something about it.
Because of this tactic, the submission of the bill by Governor Paterson is being labeled as “playing political chicken,” “playing chicken,” “stealing from Peter to pay Paul, “holding parks hostage,” “a pathetic political ploy,” ” a dangerous shell game,” “the Governor’s three-card Monte.”
The members and leaders of the Senate and Assembly are conflicted and could not vote on the bill on Monday. They are between a rock and a hard place.
Governor Paterson says: “It will be a responsibility that they will have to bear, because we have accommodated their wishes.”
The Legislature is trying to ease its way out of the place that Governor Paterson has placed them. At the Leader’s meeting held this afternoon, everyone is playing nice in the sandbox and looking for money to keep the parks open. This appears to be a good sign but nothing has changed.
However, there may be a real chance that the Parks will reopen and service reductions removed until a budget is passed.
To counter the Governor’s executive authority over OPRHP, on May 7th, Senator Serrano and Assemblyman Steve Englebright have sponsored bills (S7776A , A11013A) that if approved will give authority to OPRHP to operate and maintain all parks as before.
The bills authorize and direct the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation “to operate and maintain all state park and state historic sites under the office’s jurisdiction pursuant to the same seasons of operation, and at least the same hours of operation, service levels, and public access to facilities as were implemented the beginning of the fiscal year that ended March 31, 2010.”
These bills will be voted on today (May 25th) and most likely will pass and will allow the parks to reopen until the budget is passed. Update: The bill passed in the Senate, on May 25, 2010 (59-0)
There is still time before Memorial Day to make things happen for the citizens of New York. Hopefully, the parks and Riverbank will receive a reprieve from closing and service reductions with the approval of the bills submitted by Senator Serrano and Assemblyman Steve Englebright.