A Conversation with Adrian Benepe
I spoke last week to Adrian Benepe, former commissioner for the NYC Parks Department and currently the Senior Vice President and Director of National Programs at The Trust for Public Land.
We discussed a lot of things - the increased use of parks in the era of COVID-19, the role parks have historically played - and currently play - in citizens' first amendment right to free speech and protests, access & equity for underserved communities, the coming budget shortfalls and how they might play out in park systems.
One thing is very clear - as Adrian said, "parks have never been more used, nor appreciated at any time in the nation's history, but at the same time, they've never been under greater threat."
I wanted to pull out the discussion we had about funding for parks and share Adrian's thoughts with all of you, as I think it will be most timely and valuable as we move forward with new budgets and new realities.
Adrian talks first about the Great American Outdoors Act, which did pass the US Senate this week, and now goes to the House. The bill includes, as mentioned in the video, $900 million in funding for trails and parks in the US.