New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos, and New York City Department of Parks and Recreation (NYC Parks) Commissioner Iris Rodriguez-Rosa announced the opening of 11 new sites in the city’s “Schoolyards to Playgrounds“ program on Monday, July 14. This announcement delivers another key commitment of Adams’s 2025 State of the City.
The mayor said Schoolyards to Playgrounds increases access to green space for New Yorkers in neighborhoods not within walking distance of a park by opening up schoolyards to the public when not in use by the school, during the summer, after school, and on the weekends.
This month, Adams said these sites will be open from 8 a.m. until dusk year-round.
Part of Mayor Adams’ Fiscal Year 2026 Executive Budget — commonly referred to as the city’s “Best Budget Ever“— which was adopted by the New York City Council last month and voted on unanimously last week, the Adams administration is permanently investing $770,000 toward these additional sites. This will put green space within a 10-minute walk of an additional 20,000 New Yorkers.
The mayor said Monday’s announcement also continues “We Outside Summer,“ his new initiative that includes a series of announcements, events, investments, and new programming across the five boroughs to ensure New Yorkers have a safe, enjoyable summer outside.
“New York City is the greatest city in the world to be a kid, and today, we’re going to make it even better by making it easier for our kids to play close to home,“ said Mayor Adams. “Today, we are delivering on another one of our State of the City commitments by putting 20,000 more New Yorkers within a 10-minute walk of green spaces.
“Our schools are home to incredible playgrounds, spaces that shouldn’t be locked away after the school day or when the school year ends, especially in neighborhoods without a lot of public green spaces — and now fewer of them will be,“ he added. “We have to keep our city a place where everyone can raise a family, and this announcement is another way we’re supporting families across the five boroughs.”
“Access to playgrounds is about more than just recreational play; it’s about building stronger, healthier communities where students can develop their social-emotional skills and build healthy exercise habits,“ said NYCPS Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos. “By continuing investment in these spaces, we are providing our children and families with safe, welcoming environments to connect, be physically active, and thrive.”
“Free, accessible public spaces like our parks and these playgrounds make our city safer, more beautiful, and more livable,“ said NYC Parks Commissioner Rodriguez-Rosa. “We’re so grateful to our partners at New York City Public Schools, who will continue to care for and directly manage these spaces as they open to the public.
“We’re proud of our work expanding public space access throughout the five boroughs, and I thank Mayor Adams for his commitment to investing in our shared green spaces and public realm,“ she added.
“Having a safe place near home to play with your child isn’t a luxury for New York families — it’s a necessity,“ said Chief Public Realm Officer Ya-Ting Liu. “Every neighborhood deserves access to public space within walking distance, which is why we’re excited to open 11 more schoolyards to the public after hours. This expansion brings 20,000 more New Yorkers closer to a park — and it’s exactly the kind of turnkey solution that makes New York a more family-friendly city.“
As of July 1, the mayor said 11 school sites will open daily from 8 a.m to dusk, adding to the more than 300 existing school yards already open after hours as playgrounds to the public.
In May 2025, Mayor Adams kicked off We Outside Summer and announced a new effort to transform vacant lots into greenspace. Just last month, he announced new public bathrooms in parks across the five boroughs, the opening of public pools with increased lifeguard staffing levels, the return of Adult Lap Swim, and the expansion of free Learn to Swim programming.
In May, the Adams administration also announced $13 million in funding for youth programming, investing in initiatives to support at-risk youth, justice-involved New Yorkers, and people living in neighborhoods with high rates of violence.
