Shake Shack $$$: Bad for City Parks? by Arun Venugopal - WNYC

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I've only recently started eating at Shake Shack, and have fallen hard for their frozen custard (the blueberry, so very creamy). And after generally avoiding beef for years, I've made return trips for their cheeseburgers, which I've concluded are superior to those of Five Guys — certainly less unwieldy.

But let us set aside such childish pursuits as all-beef patties, and consider this article by Patrick Arden in Next American City, asking "whether the city’s reliance on private-funding schemes was creating disparities between parks in wealthy and poor neighborhoods."

In 2009 Shake Shack collected revenues of $4.9 million; $220,256 of that went to the city and $348,389 to the park. Concessions in other parks pay as much as 20 percent of their take to the city, but not [owner Danny] Meyer, whose company adds to its profits by catering private parties in the park for $15,000 an hour. When Meyer opened his fast-food stand, he was the director and co-founder of the Madison Square Park Conservancy, the nonprofit that oversees the public park.

Just to be clear, I've never eaten at the notoriously over-patronized Madison Square Park Shake Shack, only the UWS and Times Square locations — but I digress.

Arden gives numerous examples of the "big business" that public parks have become:

Few may object to the $364,000 salary paid to Central Park Conservancy president Douglas Blonsky, because his group is responsible for raising 85 percent of Central Park’s $27 million annual operating budget....

But those two parks now exemplify how lucrative the conservancy model can be. The Bryant Park Corporation took in more than $8.8 million in 2007 and its executive director, Daniel Biederman, picked up $210,000 for overseeing its 9.6 acres. Over at the Madison Square Park Conservancy, president Debbie Landau pulled in $185,000 — and her sister Maggi made $114,962.

Arden also notes that Robert Hammond, executive director of Friends of the High Line, earned $280,000 last year — "$75,000 more than the salary of [Adrian] Benepe, the city’s parks commissioner."

The problem, as Arden sees it, is not so much the fat paychecks in the private sector, it's the continuing cuts in public funding:

In 1960 parks maintenance and operations claimed 1.4 percent of city funds. Mayor Bloomberg’s new $63.6 billion budget would send parks’ percentage to a record low of 0.37 percent, or $239 million. (Chicago spent almost $150 million more last year on 21,000 fewer acres.) The mayor’s cut would drop the full-time workforce below 3,000, less than half the number employed by the Parks Department in 1970. “No other city agency has lost a greater percentage of its workforce over the last 40 years,” says [Geoffrey Croft, president of the watchdog group NYC Park Advocates]. “Private money will never make that up."

Arden and parks advocates say the “Golden Age for Parks” that Adrian Benepe claims is more like a Gilded Age, "with wide — and growing — disparities between lavish, showplace parks for the haves and cast-off parcels for the have-nots. For every Madison Square, Bryant Park or High Line, there are hundreds of parks that depend solely on the city, and many suffer from scandalous neglect."

These Lucky Nonprofit Park Workers are Getting a Salary from City Parks Department, Too

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Stephanie Thayer (l.) is director of the Open Space Alliance for North Brooklyn - and Parks Department's chief of North Brooklyn Parks. Keh for News

The city is setting up increasingly cozy relationships with nonprofit parks boosters - even paying some of their staffers a second salary out of the public till, a Daily News review found.

Critics say the entwined arrangements with conservancies - nonprofits that support individual parks - mean that a handful of well-connected parks are ending up with more attention and money than the rest.

"New York is creating a two-tier system," said Geoffrey Croft of New York City Park Advocates, a frequent critic of the Parks Department.

"The nightmare is that all these deals are going on behind closed doors and that people are taking city dollars away from other parks," Croft said.

The situation is unusual. Although it is not uncommon for the city and nonprofits to hire from the same pool of advocates and experts, it is extremely rare for people to work for both at the same time.

No other agency has as many employees who have been cleared to work for nonprofits while simultaneously collecting a city salary, according to the
Conflicts of Interest Board.

The News found seven top-salary city employees working on nonprofits that support specific parks, including four who got money from both:

Parks paid Aimee Boden $114,000 in 2008 to run Randalls Island, the same year the Randalls Island Sports Foundation paid her $80,000, records show. Boden did not return a call seeking comment.

In 2008, the Prospect Park Alliance in Brooklyn paid Tupper Thomas $40,000, and the city paid her $122,000 as "assistant commissioner for strategic partnerships," records show. An Alliance spokesman said Thomas was away and unable to comment.

That same year, the city paid John Herrold $94,099 to run Riverside Park, while the Riverside Park Fund Inc. paid him $33,000, records show.

In 2009, Robin Dublin, administrator of the Greenbelt on Staten Island, made $87,000 from the city and $9,600 from the Greenbelt Conservancy, records show.
Parks and Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe acknowledged that over the past few years he has expanded the practice, saying it makes sense to hire people already familiar with specific

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/07/11/2010-07-11_some_parks_purses_getting_more_green_upscale_nonprofit_groups_toss_bucks_to_city.html#ixzz0tUXevpHu

Parks paid Aimee Boden $114,000 in 2008 to run Randalls Island, the same year the Randalls Island Sports Foundation paid her $80,000, records show. Boden did not return a call seeking comment.

In 2008, the Prospect Park Alliance in Brooklyn paid Tupper Thomas $40,000, and the city paid her $122,000 as "assistant commissioner for strategic partnerships," records show. An Alliance spokesman said Thomas was away and unable to comment.

That same year, the city paid John Herrold $94,099 to run Riverside Park, while the Riverside Park Fund Inc. paid him $33,000, records show.

In 2009, Robin Dublin, administrator of the Greenbelt on Staten Island, made $87,000 from the city and $9,600 from the Greenbelt Conservancy, records show.
Parks and Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe acknowledged that over the past few years he has expanded the practice, saying it makes sense to hire people already familiar with specific parks.
"You want somebody who knows how to work the streets and has been an advocate," Benepe said.
Other arrangements are not quite so overt.
The city paid Eloise Hirsh $97,893 in 2009 to run Fresh Kills Park and cleared her to serve as executive director for Freshkills Park Inc., but it is not clear from records whether the nonprofit paid her. The group did not return calls.
Estelle Cooper got $101,507 as assistant commissioner of Queens parks in 2009, while she also ran Unisphere, a nonprofit that supports Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Unisphere did not list a salary for her and did not return calls.
In 2008, Stephanie Thayer became director of the Open Space Alliance for North Brooklyn - and the Parks Department's director of North Brooklyn Parks.
Records show Thayer got $86,528 from the city. She said her work for the nonprofit is voluntary.
"I'm still fighting the good fight," she said. "I'm just doing it in a different way."
Figuring out which hat Thayer is wearing has created frustration among some park advocates.
Laura Hofmann, a member of Open Space's steering committee, said Thayer spurned her when she tried to find out how many trees would be planted in a new park.
"She basically told me you have to trust the Parks Department and you have no business asking for this kind of information," Hofmann said.
New York has more than 1,700 city parks - but only 58 registered conservancies, which support specific parks by recruiting volunteers, creating programming and funding upkeep with a mixture of public and private cash.
Half of them - 24 - are in Manhattan and most are connected with parks in affluent neighborhoods.
The tight relationship between conservancies and the city emerges in e-mails obtained by The News under the Freedom of Information Law.
Take the case of the SeaGlass Carousel in Battery Park, a 23-acre greenspace at the tip of Manhattan. Battery Conservancy President Warrie Price aggressively sought public funding for the ride in 2007.
"Millions of sea creatures diving with joy!" Price exclaimed in a June 2007 e-mail to Benepe, whom she addressed as "dear Commander of the Polar Star."
"You lead the charge at City Hall and made the successful case," she gushed. "I send you my most fond and deep thanks."
Three months later, $4.8 million in city capital money was budgeted for the SeaGlass Carousel.
That has increased to more than $5 million, with the rest of the $12 million budget coming from federal, state and private funds. Benepe said the city's cost was a "relatively minor amount" compared with the what the department spends improving parks.
"Even if you don't live across from Battery Park," he said, "lots of people benefit from it."

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/07/11/2010-07-11_some_parks_purses_getting_more_green_upscale_nonprofit_groups_toss_bucks_to_city.html#ixzz0tUVvAjRj

Parks paid Aimee Boden $114,000 in 2008 to run Randalls Island, the same year the Randalls Island Sports Foundation paid her $80,000, records show. Boden did not return a call seeking comment.

In 2008, the Prospect Park Alliance in Brooklyn paid Tupper Thomas $40,000, and the city paid her $122,000 as "assistant commissioner for strategic partnerships," records show. An Alliance spokesman said Thomas was away and unable to comment.

That same year, the city paid John Herrold $94,099 to run Riverside Park, while the Riverside Park Fund Inc. paid him $33,000, records show.

In 2009, Robin Dublin, administrator of the Greenbelt on Staten Island, made $87,000 from the city and $9,600 from the Greenbelt Conservancy, records show.
Parks and Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe acknowledged that over the past few years he has expanded the practice, saying it makes sense to hire people already familiar with specific parks.
"You want somebody who knows how to work the streets and has been an advocate," Benepe said.
Other arrangements are not quite so overt.
The city paid Eloise Hirsh $97,893 in 2009 to run Fresh Kills Park and cleared her to serve as executive director for Freshkills Park Inc., but it is not clear from records whether the nonprofit paid her. The group did not return calls.
Estelle Cooper got $101,507 as assistant commissioner of Queens parks in 2009, while she also ran Unisphere, a nonprofit that supports Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Unisphere did not list a salary for her and did not return calls.
In 2008, Stephanie Thayer became director of the Open Space Alliance for North Brooklyn - and the Parks Department's director of North Brooklyn Parks.
Records show Thayer got $86,528 from the city. She said her work for the nonprofit is voluntary.
"I'm still fighting the good fight," she said. "I'm just doing it in a different way."
Figuring out which hat Thayer is wearing has created frustration among some park advocates.
Laura Hofmann, a member of Open Space's steering committee, said Thayer spurned her when she tried to find out how many trees would be planted in a new park.
"She basically told me you have to trust the Parks Department and you have no business asking for this kind of information," Hofmann said.
New York has more than 1,700 city parks - but only 58 registered conservancies, which support specific parks by recruiting volunteers, creating programming and funding upkeep with a mixture of public and private cash.
Half of them - 24 - are in Manhattan and most are connected with parks in affluent neighborhoods.
The tight relationship between conservancies and the city emerges in e-mails obtained by The News under the Freedom of Information Law.
Take the case of the SeaGlass Carousel in Battery Park, a 23-acre greenspace at the tip of Manhattan. Battery Conservancy President Warrie Price aggressively sought public funding for the ride in 2007.
"Millions of sea creatures diving with joy!" Price exclaimed in a June 2007 e-mail to Benepe, whom she addressed as "dear Commander of the Polar Star."
"You lead the charge at City Hall and made the successful case," she gushed. "I send you my most fond and deep thanks."
Three months later, $4.8 million in city capital money was budgeted for the SeaGlass Carousel.
That has increased to more than $5 million, with the rest of the $12 million budget coming from federal, state and private funds. Benepe said the city's cost was a "relatively minor amount" compared with the what the department spends improving parks.
"Even if you don't live across from Battery Park," he said, "lots of people benefit from it."

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/07/11/2010-07-11_some_parks_purses_getting_more_green_upscale_nonprofit_groups_toss_bucks_to_city.html#ixzz0tUVlzPwY

Parks paid Aimee Boden $114,000 in 2008 to run Randalls Island, the same year the Randalls Island Sports Foundation paid her $80,000, records show. Boden did not return a call seeking comment.

In 2008, the Prospect Park Alliance in Brooklyn paid Tupper Thomas $40,000, and the city paid her $122,000 as "assistant commissioner for strategic partnerships," records show. An Alliance spokesman said Thomas was away and unable to comment.

That same year, the city paid John Herrold $94,099 to run Riverside Park, while the Riverside Park Fund Inc. paid him $33,000, records show.

In 2009, Robin Dublin, administrator of the Greenbelt on Staten Island, made $87,000 from the city and $9,600 from the Greenbelt Conservancy, records show.
Parks and Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe acknowledged that over the past few years he has expanded the practice, saying it makes sense to hire people already familiar with specific parks.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/07/11/2010-07-11_some_parks_purses_getting_more_green_upscale_nonprofit_groups_toss_bucks_to_city.html#ixzz0tUXTFkhG

In 2008, the Prospect Park Alliance in Brooklyn paid Tupper Thomas $40,000, and the city paid her $122,000 as "assistant commissioner for strategic partnerships," records show. An Alliance spokesman said Thomas was away and unable to comment.

That same year, the city paid John Herrold $94,099 to run Riverside Park, while the Riverside Park Fund Inc. paid him $33,000, records show.

In 2009, Robin Dublin, administrator of the Greenbelt on Staten Island, made $87,000 from the city and $9,600 from the Greenbelt Conservancy, records show.
Parks and Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe acknowledged that over the past few years he has expanded the practice, saying it makes sense to hire people already familiar with specific parks.
"You want somebody who knows how to work the streets and has been an advocate," Benepe sai

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/07/11/2010-07-11_some_parks_purses_getting_more_green_upscale_nonprofit_groups_toss_bucks_to_city.html#ixzz0tUWVDDT7

P

In 2008, the Prospect Park Alliance in Brooklyn paid Tupper Thomas $40,000, and the city paid her $122,000 as "assistant commissioner for strategic partnerships," records show. An Alliance spokesman said Thomas was away and unable to comment.

That same year, the city paid John Herrold $94,099 to run Riverside Park, while the Riverside Park Fund Inc. paid him $33,000, records show.In 2009, Robin Dublin, administrator of the Greenbelt on Staten Island, made $87,000 from the city and $9,600 from the Greenbelt Conservancy, records show.

Parks and Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe acknowledged that over the past few years he has expanded the practice, saying it makes sense to hire people already familiar with specific parks.

"You want somebody who knows how to work the streets and has been an advocate," Benepe said.

Other arrangements are not quite so overt.

The city paid Eloise Hirsh $97,893 in 2009 to run Fresh Kills Park and cleared her to serve as executive director for Freshkills Park Inc., but it is not clear from records whether the nonprofit paid her. The group did not return calls.

Estelle Cooper got $101,507 as assistant commissioner of Queens parks in 2009, while she also ran Unisphere, a nonprofit that supports Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Unisphere did not list a salary for her and did not return calls.

In 2008, Stephanie Thayer became director of the Open Space Alliance for North Brooklyn - and the Parks Department's director of North Brooklyn Parks.
Records show Thayer got $86,528 from the city. She said her work for the nonprofit is voluntary.

"I'm still fighting the good fight," she said. "I'm just doing it in a different way."

Figuring out which hat Thayer is wearing has created frustration among some park advocates.

Laura Hofmann, a member of Open Space's steering committee, said Thayer spurned her when she tried to find out how many trees would be planted in a new park.

"She basically told me you have to trust the Parks Department and you have no business asking for this kind of information," Hofmann said.

New York has more than 1,700 city parks - but only 58 registered conservancies, which support specific parks by recruiting volunteers, creating programming and funding upkeep with a mixture of public and private cash.
Half of them - 24 - are in Manhattan and most are connected with parks in affluent neighborhoods.

The tight relationship between conservancies and the city emerges in e-mails obtained by The News under the Freedom of Information Law.

Take the case of the SeaGlass Carousel in Battery Park, a 23-acre greenspace at the tip of Manhattan. Battery Conservancy President Warrie Price aggressively sought public funding for the ride in 2007.

"Millions of sea creatures diving with joy!" Price exclaimed in a June 2007 e-mail to Benepe, whom she addressed as "dear Commander of the Polar Star."

"You lead the charge at City Hall and made the successful case," she gushed. "I send you my most fond and deep thanks."

Three months later, $4.8 million in city capital money was budgeted for the SeaGlass Carousel.

That has increased to more than $5 million, with the rest of the $12 million budget coming from federal, state and private funds. Benepe said the city's cost was a "relatively minor amount" compared with the what the department spends improving parks.

"Even if you don't live across from Battery Park," he said, "lots of people benefit from it."

Parks paid Aimee Boden $114,000 in 2008 to run Randalls Island, the same year the Randalls Island Sports Foundation paid her $80,000, records show. Boden did not return a call seeking comment.

In 2008, the Prospect Park Alliance in Brooklyn paid Tupper Thomas $40,000, and the city paid her $122,000 as "assistant commissioner for strategic partnerships," records show. An Alliance spokesman said Thomas was away and unable to comment.

That same year, the city paid John Herrold $94,099 to run Riverside Park, while the Riverside Park Fund Inc. paid him $33,000, records show.

In 2009, Robin Dublin, administrator of the Greenbelt on Staten Island, made $87,000 from the city and $9,600 from the Greenbelt Conservancy, records show.
Parks and Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe acknowledged that over the past few years he has expanded the practice, saying it makes sense to hire people already familiar with specific parks.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/07/11/2010-07-11_some_parks_purses_getting_more_green_upscale_nonprofit_groups_toss_bucks_to_city.html#ixzz0tUWKs7iI

Parks paid Aimee Boden $114,000 in 2008 to run Randalls Island, the same year the Randalls Island Sports Foundation paid her $80,000, records show. Boden did not return a call seeking comment.

In 2008, the Prospect Park Alliance in Brooklyn paid Tupper Thomas $40,000, and the city paid her $122,000 as "assistant commissioner for strategic partnerships," records show. An Alliance spokesman said Thomas was away and unable to comment.

That same year, the city paid John Herrold $94,099 to run Riverside Park, while the Riverside Park Fund Inc. paid him $33,000, records show.

In 2009, Robin Dublin, administrator of the Greenbelt on Staten Island, made $87,000 from the city and $9,600 from the Greenbelt Conservancy, records show.
Parks and Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe acknowledged that over the past few years he has expanded the practice, saying it makes sense to hire people already familiar with specific parks.
"You want somebody who knows how to work the streets and has been an advocate," Benepe said.
Other arrangements are not quite so overt.
The city paid Eloise Hirsh $97,893 in 2009 to run Fresh Kills Park and cleared her to serve as executive director for Freshkills Park Inc., but it is not clear from records whether the nonprofit paid her. The group did not return calls.
Estelle Cooper got $101,507 as assistant commissioner of Queens parks in 2009, while she also ran Unisphere, a nonprofit that supports Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Unisphere did not list a salary for her and did not return calls.
In 2008, Stephanie Thayer became director of the Open Space Alliance for North Brooklyn - and the Parks Department's director of North Brooklyn Parks.
Records show Thayer got $86,528 from the city. She said her work for the nonprofit is voluntary.
"I'm still fighting the good fight," she said. "I'm just doing it in a different way."
Figuring out which hat Thayer is wearing has created frustration among some park advocates.
Laura Hofmann, a member of Open Space's steering committee, said Thayer spurned her when she tried to find out how many trees would be planted in a new park.
"She basically told me you have to trust the Parks Department and you have no business asking for this kind of information," Hofmann said.
New York has more than 1,700 city parks - but only 58 registered conservancies, which support specific parks by recruiting volunteers, creating programming and funding upkeep with a mixture of public and private cash.
Half of them - 24 - are in Manhattan and most are connected with parks in affluent neighborhoods.
The tight relationship between conservancies and the city emerges in e-mails obtained by The News under the Freedom of Information Law.
Take the case of the SeaGlass Carousel in Battery Park, a 23-acre greenspace at the tip of Manhattan. Battery Conservancy President Warrie Price aggressively sought public funding for the ride in 2007.
"Millions of sea creatures diving with joy!" Price exclaimed in a June 2007 e-mail to Benepe, whom she addressed as "dear Commander of the Polar Star."
"You lead the charge at City Hall and made the successful case," she gushed. "I send you my most fond and deep thanks."
Three months later, $4.8 million in city capital money was budgeted for the SeaGlass Carousel.
That has increased to more than $5 million, with the rest of the $12 million budget coming from federal, state and private funds. Benepe said the city's cost was a "relatively minor amount" compared with the what the department spends improving parks.
"Even if you don't live across from Battery Park," he said, "lots of people benefit from it."

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/07/11/2010-07-11_some_parks_purses_getting_more_green_upscale_nonprofit_groups_toss_bucks_to_city.html#ixzz0tUVvAjRj

Parks paid Aimee Boden $114,000 in 2008 to run Randalls Island, the same year the Randalls Island Sports Foundation paid her $80,000, records show. Boden did not return a call seeking comment.

In 2008, the Prospect Park Alliance in Brooklyn paid Tupper Thomas $40,000, and the city paid her $122,000 as "assistant commissioner for strategic partnerships," records show. An Alliance spokesman said Thomas was away and unable to comment.

That same year, the city paid John Herrold $94,099 to run Riverside Park, while the Riverside Park Fund Inc. paid him $33,000, records show.

In 2009, Robin Dublin, administrator of the Greenbelt on Staten Island, made $87,000 from the city and $9,600 from the Greenbelt Conservancy, records show.
Parks and Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe acknowledged that over the past few years he has expanded the practice, saying it makes sense to hire people already familiar with specific parks.
"You want somebody who knows how to work the streets and has been an advocate," Benepe said.
Other arrangements are not quite so overt.
The city paid Eloise Hirsh $97,893 in 2009 to run Fresh Kills Park and cleared her to serve as executive director for Freshkills Park Inc., but it is not clear from records whether the nonprofit paid her. The group did not return calls.
Estelle Cooper got $101,507 as assistant commissioner of Queens parks in 2009, while she also ran Unisphere, a nonprofit that supports Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Unisphere did not list a salary for her and did not return calls.
In 2008, Stephanie Thayer became director of the Open Space Alliance for North Brooklyn - and the Parks Department's director of North Brooklyn Parks.
Records show Thayer got $86,528 from the city. She said her work for the nonprofit is voluntary.
"I'm still fighting the good fight," she said. "I'm just doing it in a different way."
Figuring out which hat Thayer is wearing has created frustration among some park advocates.
Laura Hofmann, a member of Open Space's steering committee, said Thayer spurned her when she tried to find out how many trees would be planted in a new park.
"She basically told me you have to trust the Parks Department and you have no business asking for this kind of information," Hofmann said.
New York has more than 1,700 city parks - but only 58 registered conservancies, which support specific parks by recruiting volunteers, creating programming and funding upkeep with a mixture of public and private cash.
Half of them - 24 - are in Manhattan and most are connected with parks in affluent neighborhoods.
The tight relationship between conservancies and the city emerges in e-mails obtained by The News under the Freedom of Information Law.
Take the case of the SeaGlass Carousel in Battery Park, a 23-acre greenspace at the tip of Manhattan. Battery Conservancy President Warrie Price aggressively sought public funding for the ride in 2007.
"Millions of sea creatures diving with joy!" Price exclaimed in a June 2007 e-mail to Benepe, whom she addressed as "dear Commander of the Polar Star."
"You lead the charge at City Hall and made the successful case," she gushed. "I send you my most fond and deep thanks."
Three months later, $4.8 million in city capital money was budgeted for the SeaGlass Carousel.
That has increased to more than $5 million, with the rest of the $12 million budget coming from federal, state and private funds. Benepe said the city's cost was a "relatively minor amount" compared with the what the department spends improving parks.
"Even if you don't live across from Battery Park," he said, "lots of people benefit from it."

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/07/11/2010-07-11_some_parks_purses_getting_more_green_upscale_nonprofit_groups_toss_bucks_to_city.html#ixzz0tUVvAjRj

Parks paid Aimee Boden $114,000 in 2008 to run Randalls Island, the same year the Randalls Island Sports Foundation paid her $80,000, records show. Boden did not return a call seeking comment.

In 2008, the Prospect Park Alliance in Brooklyn paid Tupper Thomas $40,000, and the city paid her $122,000 as "assistant commissioner for strategic partnerships," records show. An Alliance spokesman said Thomas was away and unable to comment.

That same year, the city paid John Herrold $94,099 to run Riverside Park, while the Riverside Park Fund Inc. paid him $33,000, records show.

In 2009, Robin Dublin, administrator of the Greenbelt on Staten Island, made $87,000 from the city and $9,600 from the Greenbelt Conservancy, records show.
Parks and Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe acknowledged that over the past few years he has expanded the practice, saying it makes sense to hire people already familiar with specific parks.
"You want somebody who knows how to work the streets and has been an advocate," Benepe said.
Other arrangements are not quite so overt.
The city paid Eloise Hirsh $97,893 in 2009 to run Fresh Kills Park and cleared her to serve as executive director for Freshkills Park Inc., but it is not clear from records whether the nonprofit paid her. The group did not return calls.
Estelle Cooper got $101,507 as assistant commissioner of Queens parks in 2009, while she also ran Unisphere, a nonprofit that supports Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Unisphere did not list a salary for her and did not return calls.
In 2008, Stephanie Thayer became director of the Open Space Alliance for North Brooklyn - and the Parks Department's director of North Brooklyn Parks.
Records show Thayer got $86,528 from the city. She said her work for the nonprofit is voluntary.
"I'm still fighting the good fight," she said. "I'm just doing it in a different way."
Figuring out which hat Thayer is wearing has created frustration among some park advocates.
Laura Hofmann, a member of Open Space's steering committee, said Thayer spurned her when she tried to find out how many trees would be planted in a new park.
"She basically told me you have to trust the Parks Department and you have no business asking for this kind of information," Hofmann said.
New York has more than 1,700 city parks - but only 58 registered conservancies, which support specific parks by recruiting volunteers, creating programming and funding upkeep with a mixture of public and private cash.
Half of them - 24 - are in Manhattan and most are connected with parks in affluent neighborhoods.
The tight relationship between conservancies and the city emerges in e-mails obtained by The News under the Freedom of Information Law.
Take the case of the SeaGlass Carousel in Battery Park, a 23-acre greenspace at the tip of Manhattan. Battery Conservancy President Warrie Price aggressively sought public funding for the ride in 2007.
"Millions of sea creatures diving with joy!" Price exclaimed in a June 2007 e-mail to Benepe, whom she addressed as "dear Commander of the Polar Star."
"You lead the charge at City Hall and made the successful case," she gushed. "I send you my most fond and deep thanks."
Three months later, $4.8 million in city capital money was budgeted for the SeaGlass Carousel.
That has increased to more than $5 million, with the rest of the $12 million budget coming from federal, state and private funds. Benepe said the city's cost was a "relatively minor amount" compared with the what the department spends improving parks.
"Even if you don't live across from Battery Park," he said, "lots of people benefit from it."

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/07/11/2010-07-11_some_parks_purses_getting_more_green_upscale_nonprofit_groups_toss_bucks_to_city.html#ixzz0tUVvAjRj