It is one of our main goals and would do wonders for the Parkway, and the model we use, indeed the model for the country of nonprofit management of an urban park, is the Central Park Conservancy.
About the Central Park Conservancy
The Central Park Conservancy's mission is to restore, manage, and preserve Central Park, in partnership with the public, for the enjoyment of present and future generations.
The Central Park Conservancy is a private, not-for-profit organization founded in 1980 that manages Central Park under a contract with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation. Thanks to the generosity of many individuals, corporations, and foundations, the Conservancy has raised more than $350 million to date and has transformed Central Park into a model for urban parks nationwide. The Conservancy provides more than 84% of Central Park's annual $25 million operating budget and is responsible for all basic care of the Park.
With 25 million visitors each year to its 843 acres, Central Park is the most frequently visited urban park in the United States. To manage the Park, Conservancy crews aerate and seed lawns; rake leaves; prune and fertilize trees; plant shrubs and flowers; maintain ballfields and playgrounds; remove graffiti; conserve monuments, bridges, and buildings; and care for waterbodies and woodlands, controlling erosion, maintaining the drainage system, and protecting over 150 acres of lakes and streams from pollution, siltation, and algae.
