Inwood Hill Park

ParkStat Plus+ is one of several initiatives whose aim is to improve parks and public spaces by emphasizing new management strategies. First Deputy Commissioner Alan (Northside) Moss, Director of Field Operations Jake (Red Rock) Cooper, and ParkStat Plus+ Coordinator James (Stroker) Sattler lead the program, which is modeled on the New York Police Department’s successful initiative, CompStat.

Meetings last 2 hours and 15 minutes and are driven by a series of questions, for which the SPMOs are asked to prepare. Questions range from, "How many small parks does your district include" to "What are the capital construction projects currently underway in your district?" These demanding meetings have been likened to open book tests, but their true strength derives less from the evaluative information gathered and more from the new lines of communication that are established.

One of the most successful meetings to date took place at the Arsenal on Friday, December 14. Typical of ParkStat Plus+ meetings, a broad array of Parkies participated. Paul (Revere) D’Amore and John (Johann) Bachman, Deputy Chiefs of Operations for the Bronx were present. Michelle (Hershey) Martell, Bronx Chief of Staff and Capital Construction Liaison; Bill (Plumbline) Finer, Bronx Supervisor of Mechanics; Brenda (Control) Cruz, PEP Lieutenant; Carlos (Highland) Pabon, Park Manager; and SPMOs for Districts 2 and 9 Ralph (The Godfather) Frissora, John Fuller, William (Yankee 1) Martin, and Abismael Rivera also participated on behalf of their borough. The representatives from ParksEcitywide services were as follows: Seth (Blue Moon) Blau, Park Advocate; Jake Cooper; Richard (Bronco) Gentles, Director of Parks Enforcement Patrol; Keith T. (Kermit) Kerman, Chief of Operations; Julia (Sprout) McCarthy, Assistant to the First Deputy Commissioner; Jeremy (Snowball) Peterson, Director of OMP; Artie (Stallion) Rollins, Chief of Technical Services; James Sattler; and Parmod (Liquidator) Tripathi, Chief of Management Services.

The diverse representation of Parkies, in combination with an analysis of facts and figures, facilitated problem solving. For example, inspections of the Bronx’s Bill Rainey Park showed evidence of dogs running off-leash and other illegal activity. PEP statistics, however, revealed a paucity of summonses issued in the park. At a ParkStat Plus+ meeting, PEP decided to detail a plainclothes officer to Bill Rainey Park to enforce dog regulations.

The result of these problem-solving sessions are already visible. Queensbridge Park in Queens sports new bollards and signage as a result of a ParkStat Plus+ meeting in which Maintenance and Operations, PEP, and Technical Services conspired to solve a problem of illegally parked cars documented both in park inspections and in a spike in parking summonses.

Manhattan Parks in 1988 was busy with cleaning and greening projects of all sizes and in all seasons. "5x5" projects, ParksElargest, self-funded, intensive maintenance campaign in decades, continued to spruce up five parks in each borough in 1988, Manhattan "5x5"s were completed at Downing Stadium on Randall’s Island: Fort Washington, East River, Jackie Robinson and Inwood Hill Parks; and at the Al Smith and Marcus Garvey Recreation Centers.

"A point of view can be a dangerous luxury
when substituted for insight and understanding."

Marshall McLuhan (1911-1980)