Rejuvenating Neighborhoods and Communities Through Parks—A Guide To Success www.NRPA.org National Recreation and Park Association © 2011 All Rights Reserved 40 • The end justifies the means In theory, project plans and renovations go more quickly without the extensive involvement and input of stakeholders However, a solo or small staff effort within an organization seldom results in the vital collaboration to sustain a future for the project and, by extension, its ongoing contributions for the community Moving Forward Here are a few more insights garnered from the Partnerships for Parks’ activities Building Bridges – the People Kind The particular challenge of the High Bridge project was this: If restoration was to occur, it would require the involvement of communities in two different boroughs—the Bronx and Manhattan—which are separated by the Harlem River Initial meetings brought together representatives from such diverse groups as Inwood Community Services, Samaritan Village, Alanza Dominicana, the New York Restoration Project, and the newly formed High Bridge Coalition Language and cultural differences were gradually bridged, one step at a time People Building Stakeholders The untold potential of a small group interested and committed to a project lies in its ability to attract other stakeholders A prime example is the entry of the Gotham Center for City History to the High Bridge stakeholder group The center produced a document on the historical role High Bridge played in the city’s water supply system The newspaper articles in the New York Times and New York Post, along with presentations and tours, eventually resulted in a 300% increase in the membership of the High Bridge Coalition, comprising 50 groups Finding Partners for Larger Projects Undertakings of this magnitude cannot move forward without funding Therefore, this phase of the project leveraged the expanded coalition to identify sources of financial support The need for horticulture in this area resulted in a city council member’s securing $2 million for the Jackie Robinson Park Conservancy (This park is one of the four historic Harlem parks ) (Source: Catalyst: Step Two Partnerships for Parks) You can get so much more done working with other groups than doing it on your own. Working together will not only help our group grow, but also to be part of a community working together to reach common goals. – CLARE DOYLE, PRESIDENT, ASTORIA RESIDENTS RECLAIMING OUR WORLD; STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBER, GREEN SHORE The Washington Parks & People Model: Magic or Miracle? Washington Parks & People (WPP) is a nonprofit organization that leads green initiatives across Washington, DC revitalizing forgotten neighborhoods WQPP is an organization that has accrued a number of successes in seemingly impossible situations across the years including Malcolm X Park in the Meridian Hills, Josephine Butler Parks Center more recently Marvin Gaye Park Steve Coleman serves as the Executive Director of this innovative and effective organization
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTkzMzk=