New York City's Play Streets program has shrunk dramatically because of obstructive bureaucracy and lack of funding, argues Brad Aaron.
The Play Streets program has existed in New York City for years, but it's shrinking. The program is down 90 percent from its peak in the '90s. "Community groups looking to host Play Streets must go through an onerous application process with multiple veto points," Brad Aaron writes for Streetsblog NYC.
The Police Athletic League has cut its spending on the program and now focuses more on "structured play" like sports leagues. Still, many argue the city is losing something important, the structured play happens in facilities that may be too far for some children to travel. What's more it doesn't accomplish the goal set out by the Play Streets founder–to make streets fun and safe for people and, especially, for children.
Read the full story: NYC Kids Shouldn’t Have to Jump Through Hoops to Get a Play Street on Their Block
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