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This is my final draft of the position paper, which focuses on a sustainability issue I have faced and experienced while navigating the neighborhoods, schools, and workplaces I live in. My goal is to raise awareness and urgency about the problem of unsafe access to green spaces, faulty railings, and overgrown bushes, which makes society unwilling to interact with green spaces that could improve overall quality of life.

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Enhancing Accessibility to Green Spaces: The Struggle for Safe Public Spaces

   (Figure 1)

Allison Estudillo

ENGL 21003: Writing for the Sciences

Professor Debra Williams

March 12, 2025

Without realizing it, public spaces hold a societal role that fosters community engagement. Allowing communities to have spaces where they can improve their overall well-being, which also encourages outdoor activities is extremely vital. Nowadays, the general public is more occupied with their phones, laptops, tablets, and any electronic device that fuels short-term preferences. However, with that want, the craving for more technology slowly consumes us. Individuals tend to forget about the outside world, not realizing there is more to their environment. An area in which people can come face to face with one another, commonly known as public spaces; a more accurate name for them being green spaces. New York City harbors many green spaces, with most commonly known areas being housed in Manhattan: Central Park, Battery Park, Little Island, and another well-known area, Randall’s Island. However, shouldn’t these green spaces have safe and well-kept access? If they are not maintained, their purpose fails to be served. Many access points, such as walkways, are becoming overlooked and unkempt in New York. Bobby Wagner Walkway is an example of this; this walkway leads to the main access point to Randall’s Island. The poorly kept walkway has unsafe railings and lacks proper infrastructure. This walkway continues to suffer from cracked pavements, overgrown bushes that hold litter, and no trash can in sight. This not only creates an unappealing access point but it is also hazardous as it hinders the general public’s access to Randall’s Island. Many argue that unkempt walkways are not a top priority for the government to prioritize, that other issues are more important, that this issue is meant for community leaders and that they should take action. Community engagement relies on public services such as walkways and outdoor areas; however, in Bobby Wagner Walkway, the quality of these things is lackluster because of poorly maintained infrastructure. Unsafe access to outdoor areas can make it harder for the general public to enjoy public spaces in New York, which results in both community disengagement and deterioration of the overall environment. When public space becomes neglected and hazardous, it becomes a government problem because, once entirely neglected, it becomes underutilized and can contribute to social disconnection and decay. Investing in a small quantity of care and safer, well-maintained access areas can ensure accessibility to green spaces and help the community engage in outdoor activities. Investing can help New York’s overall environment.

New York City harbors countless outdoor places that raise community engagement. An example of a well-maintained walkway would be the Brooklyn Bridge walkway in Dumbo. Brooklyn Bridge Walkway is a prime example of how a well-maintained pathway makes it aesthetically pleasing, encouraging the general public to become more engaged with the community. Furthermore, by giving access to the parks surrounding the walkway and the main attraction, the Brooklyn Bridge continues to serve as a point of view on why accessibility to green public spaces matters. The success of the Brooklyn Bridge Walkway demonstrates its impact on the community; before the Brooklyn Bridge was popular for its fantastic view, some warehouses could be seen around the area and could have been considered hazardous as well. Governor Kathy Hochul plans to Allocate an additional $140 million to the Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation, bringing the total funding to $250. This aims to enhance New York State parks (Governor Hochul Announces FY 2023 Investments in Clean Energy Infrastructure, Climate Resiliency and Preservation, n.d.)This shows how the government wants to allocate resources toward maintaining outdoor spaces; however, more areas of lower-income communities should genuinely need this type of funding. However, thoughtful planning and maintenance can create amazing green spaces and also help encourage the community to enjoy outdoor activities.  The 107th Street Pier and Bobby Wagner Walk Rehabilitation project considers these concerns and tries to emphasize the need for investment in bettering the infrastructure.  

(New York City Economic Development Corporation [NYCEDC], 2024, p. 30-32)

These images from the Bobby Wagner Walk and 107th Street Pier from the Rehabilitation Project show the consequences of neglecting such areas. The left image shows an overgrown walkway slowly falling apart, broken railings, and uncontrolled cracked pavement that invade the path meant for civilians to walk on. The image on the right also shows how ignored the area seems; there’s trash everywhere, overgrown greenery, cracked pavement, and unappealing benches with rusting railings. The lack of maintenance creates an unsafe environment and could make it difficult for people to use it overall. These circumstances lead to further disengagement and environmental degradation. Not only that, but this area is suffering more than just from infrastructure and garbage left behind, as well as flooding issues. According to the document 107th St., Pierre and Bobby Wagner Walk public design commission preliminary review, it expresses the concern for flood risks as well as drainage problems and how these conditions are slowly but surely worsening over time, “While this area is also vulnerable to coastal flooding, its flooding is exacerbated by lack of adequate inland drainage.” (107th street pier and Bobby Wagner Walk). Not only does the project explain the concerns for this area, but it also shows that the community has started becoming more aware of the impending consequences of this area and how worse it could get from here. The community engagement has revealed the public’s concerns about the safety of this pathway and the nearby pier. Some civilians in this area advocate for better bike lanes, bench seating, and maintained greenery. Not having these needs met overall ruins the experience of enjoying a pleasant stroll through the pathway and deters the public from using it. This project shows how the community wants to rebuild and rehabilitate the 107th Street Pier and Bobby Wagner pathway. The community should not be putting all the effort into it, as city officials should consider this to ensure not only the aesthetic of the area but also safety and a well-maintained access point that people can enjoy when reaching Randall’s Island.

However, many argue that public walkways should not be the government’s top priority when it comes to concerning issues. Some people see the need for adding trash cans, railing, or repairing the area overall as unnecessary compared to concerns that are much larger and in need of attention. These issues require attention and funding, such as education and housing. Others also believe that communities should take part in maintaining these areas and organizing groups to clean them because they lack funding, and it is up to the general public to take care of their area. That the government has limited resources and that there should be community leaders who take charge of keeping public areas clean and safe. The New York Times article, “Mayor Adams Walks Back Budget Cuts Many Saw as Unnecessary,” is an example of government officials and policymakers often prioritizing funding for what they believe to be more important issues, which leaves outdoor spaces and community maintenance projects at the bottom of the barrel, with insufficient funding. A councilman named Justin Brennan had gone to say that they did appreciate the funding that seemed to be restored but had also believed that the first drastic cuts were unnecessary. The disruption caused by the proposed reductions was significant and deeply felt (Mays & Rubinstein, 2024). This highlights how government budget decisions can create not only frustration and uncertainty within government officials but as well as the public. With most government officials worrying about other urgent matters, the idea of parks and public walkways becomes less important. This reinforces the argument that the government shouldnt be responsible for maintaining all these areas. Especially with the city’s limited resources and the mayor’s desire to make more drastic changes. Some statistics show that New York City’s debt-incurring power is indeed shrinking. New York City’s debt-incurring power is estimated to drop to 27.6 billion at the end of 2025 and will drop even lower to $4.7 billion at the end of 2031 (Raap et al., 2022). Although these numbers seem far away from now, it does not erase the issue that there will be even less funding for green spaces and their maintenance or projects to better areas, which will make officials even more selective about what projects or issues they would want to fund. This reinforces the argument that communities should be the ones to take action because the government is growing in financial constraints, and the reduction of resources to maintain outdoor areas will rise. If the government lacks resources, the issue now falls on the public to step up and take care of their surroundings.

That is completely understandable from the viewpoints about how government resources are limited and that there are more significant issues that should demand funding. However, this does not mean public walkways and green spaces should be neglected. Safe and well-maintained public spaces contribute to the general public’s mental and physical health. Not only that but public walkways and green spaces help the community foster social connections. Expecting communities to take charge of maintaining public spaces overlooks how many neighbors, particularly lower-income ones, unfortunately, lack the resources and power to do so. Residents do take some pride in green spaces in their neighborhoods. However, they expect these spaces to be maintained (Raap et al., 2022), which is an understandable statement because governments should be willing to provide green spaces and be able to upkeep them. However, this reality does not exist because maintenance often falls behind, and once thriving ponds and rose gardens are now being deterred due to the lack of upkeep. One resident recalled moving into a new neighborhood for the first time and seeing beautiful rose gardens, but those rose gardens were left in ruins over time. Issues like discarded needles and dog waste continue to diminish the beauty of the infrastructure and accessibility to these spaces (Raap et al., 2022). When having green infrastructure accessible, like parks and green spaces, not only encourages society to go outside and have an opportunity to engage in outdoor activity but also creates a calming atmosphere for them as well (Social Benefits of Green Infrastructure | US EPA, 2025).  When public spaces are well-maintained, they serve as a place for fostering positive social interaction and helping overall health. However, neglecting areas can become unsafe and create disengagement from society. If the government fails to maintain these spaces, it will continue to create hazardous spaces, and communities will be left with nothing but areas they do not feel safe in. Investing in these upkeeps can have long-lasting impacts in good ways for the community, making them feel safe and helping provide welcoming areas.

In conclusion, public walkways and green spaces are not just luxuries. They are places where communities can come together and engage in outdoor activities. The longer the government ignores this issue, the less time we have to repair green spaces and walkways before they get lost in urban decay. Communities should be able to have an area in which they confide, an area in which they can come together and enjoy a peaceful outing. If the government values New York communities, it must ensure that the spaces are accessible, safe, and well-maintained.

References

City of New York. (2024, April 15). 107th Street Pier and Bobby Wagner Walk: Public Design Commission – Preliminary Review. New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC).

Comments on New York City’s Preliminary Budget for Fiscal Year 2026 and Financial Plan for
Fiscal Years 2025 – 2029. Comptroller.nyc.gov. (n.d.-b).
https://comptroller.nyc.gov/reports/comments-on-new-york-citys-preliminary-budget/   

Damaske, T., Goodman, D., Gulaid, S., Hintze, M., Kelly, Q., Shapiro, J., Stein, J., Tailor, A., Wong, T., Gade, H., & Goughnour, E. (2024). GUIDE FOR MAINTAINING ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE FOR ENHANCED SAFETY. In Toole Design, Toole Design, Toole Design, Toole Design, Toole Design Group, & Vanesse Hangen Brustlin (VHB), Toole Design [Guidance]. Federal Highway Administration Office of Safety. https://highways.dot.gov/sites/fhwa.dot.gov/files/2024-10/Guide_for_Maintaining_Active_Transportation_FHWA-SA-23-005_0.pdf

Governor Hochul announces FY 2023 investments in clean energy infrastructure, climate resiliency and preservation. (n.d.). Governor Kathy Hochul. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-announces-fy-2023-investments-clean-energy-infrastructure-climate-resiliency 

Mays, J. C., & Rubinstein, D. (2024, April 24). Mayor Adams walks back budget cuts many saw
as unnecessary. The New York Times.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/24/nyregion/budget-cuts-adams-nyc.html 

O’Donnell, E., Knab, A., Athey, L., & Institute for Public Administration. (2007). Sidewalks and Shared-Use Paths: Safety, security, and maintenance. In Summary Report. Institute for Public Administration, College of Human Services, Education & Public Policy, University of Delaware. https://www.littlerock.gov/media/4155/sharedusepathsafety-2007.pdf 

Raap, S., Knibbe, M., & Horstman, K. (2022). Clean Spaces, Community Building, and Urban Stage: the Coproduction of Health and Parks in Low-Income Neighborhoods. Journal of Urban Health, 99(4), 680–687. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-022-00644-4 Social Benefits of Green Infrastructure | US EPA. (2025, February 13). US EPA. https://www.epa.gov/green-infrastructure/social-benefits-green-infrastructure