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ORDER OF THE BOARD OF ALDERS OF THE CITY OF NEW HAVEN AUTHORIZING THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS TO ACCEPT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FROM THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND TO IMPLEMENT THE “PARK EQUITY ACCELERATOR” PROGRAM.
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WHEREAS, the City of New Haven through its Parks Department seeks to promote and protect a diverse, vibrant and well-maintained and sustainably viable park system;
WHEREAS, the Parks Department’s mission is to create community through people, parks, and programs by providing stewardship to the city’s entrusted parks and recreation physical assets for the enhancement of the City and for the enjoyment of our citizens, its further mission is to initiate and conduct recreational programs and activities for the benefit of all New Haven residents and visitors;
WHEREAS, the Parks Department champions, oversees and maintains over 140 park lands, therein containing picnic areas, playgrounds, athletic fields, active and passive recreation venues, beaches, monuments, historical buildings, areas and facilities for community programming, special events and entertainment, and throughout its extensive network of woodlands, trails, waterways and various landscapes, contributes to the overall economy, health and well-being of the entire city;
WHEREAS, the Parks Department is applying for additional support and technical assistance from the Trust for Public Land through its Park Equity Accelerator Program;
WHEREAS, the Trust for Public Land is a national non-profit organization that believes everyone should have access to the Outdoors, that the outdoors are essential to our happiness, health and well-being, and that Equity, Health, Climate and Community are all components of a strong park system;
WHEREAS, the Park Equity Accelerator Program Application would provide a multitude of technical assistance and resources through the Trust for Public Land and which may include identifying public finance policies, conservation finance measures, and/or other long-term funding mechanisms that can be leveraged to support system-wide change for New Haven’s parks; cultivate a network of city and community stakeholders to support park advocacy and stewardship; partner with developers to better integrate land use planning, housing and public space goals; and develop a strategy for maximizing use of transit infrastructure and interstitial lands as public realm;
WHEREAS, the Trust for Public Land will work to help the Parks Department, the Parks Commission, and various city departments and community stakeholders to support improvements and recognize the importance of the Parks Department’s vital role in the City and all the work being done to collectively better and to make safer and more enjoyable the city’s parks, through the department’s staff, various departments as well as contributions and efforts from all its citizenry, partner organizations, friends groups and all communities; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Alders of the City of New Haven supports resources that benefit the Parks Department and the community.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDERED by the Board of Alders of the City of New Haven that the Mayor is authorized to accept the technical assistance from the Trust for Public Land through the Park Equity Accelerator Program and to execute all necessary documents including multi-year agreements.