Queens Community House Joins Play Fair Coalition Rally and Testifies at City Council Budget Hearing to Advocate for Increased NYC Parks Funding

Queens, NY (March 24, 2026) — Yesterday, Queens Community House (QCH) joined hundreds of advocates, community members, and partner organizations at a Play Fair Coalition rally ahead of the New York City Council’s Preliminary Budget Hearing on NYC Parks, calling on city leaders to allocate 1% of the City’s budget to parks. 

Organized by the Play Fair Coalition, the rally underscored a shared message: New Yorkers deserve safe, clean parks and playgrounds, well-maintained restrooms, faster repairs, healthier trees, and extended recreation center hours. The rally preceded the City Council hearing, where advocates testified on the urgent need to reverse years of underinvestment in the city’s park system. 

At the hearing, Alma Reyes, Community Organizer at QCH, delivered testimony on behalf of the organization and its community members, emphasizing the critical role parks play in public health, equity, and quality of life—particularly in neighborhoods like those surrounding Flushing Meadows Corona Park. 

“For countless Queens residents, the park is where children play after school, elders walk to stay healthy, vendors earn a living, and communities gather,” said Reyes. “When a park of this scale is underfunded, the message received by the community is clear: our needs are not prioritized. Increasing the parks budget is not optional—it is urgent—as a matter of public health, equity, and dignity.” 
Reyes also highlighted that the City’s preliminary budget continues a pattern of underinvestment, coming in below last year’s funding levels and failing to restore the long-standing goal of dedicating 1% of the City’s budget to parks. 

QCH’s advocacy is rooted in its ongoing, community-driven work through its Neighbors in Action initiative, which mobilizes residents to engage directly in improving their neighborhoods. Through this program, QCH has cultivated a dedicated group of approximately 20 volunteers who have conducted monthly cleanups at Flushing Meadows Corona Park since November 2024, while also gathering feedback from park users through surveys and listening sessions. 

These efforts have identified three key priorities for the park: 

Maintenance: Increased baseline funding is needed to support additional staff and address persistent issues such as litter, trash overflow, and deferred landscape care across the park’s nearly 900 acres.  

Bathrooms and Basic Infrastructure: With only 10 functioning restrooms, the park faces a severe shortage that impacts families, seniors, and people with disabilities. Investments in both short-term modular facilities and long-term permanent infrastructure are critical.  

Flood Mitigation and Climate Resilience: Ongoing flooding affects both park usability and surrounding neighborhoods, underscoring the need for long-term environmental investments and resilience planning. 

While QCH’s volunteer stewards play an important role in maintaining the park, the organization emphasized that community efforts cannot replace the need for sustained public investment. 

“Volunteers are committed to supporting our parks, but they cannot substitute for a fully funded parks system,” Reyes added. “Our communities deserve infrastructure and resources that reflect how essential these spaces truly are.” 

QCH remains committed to working alongside the Play Fair Coalition and its partners to ensure that New York City’s parks receive the funding necessary to serve all residents equitably. 
 
About Queens Community House: 
Queens Community House is one of the borough's largest nonprofit organizations, committed to serving the diverse neighborhoods of Queens. Serving more than 30,000 children, youth, adults, and older adults every year, QCH provides individuals and families with the tools to enrich their lives and build healthy, inclusive communities. Through a broad network of programs, QCH offers Queens residents a needed support system at every stage of life, helping them to develop the knowledge, confidence, and skills to change their lives for the better and become active participants in their larger community. QCH opened its doors in 1975 and is excited to celebrate 50 years of impact and community building across the borough this year.