Page 12 - The Indian EYE 121925

Community Op-ED DECEMBER 19, 2025 | The Indian Eye 12

Creating safe public and green

spaces for our children

To make sure our communities feel safe and are safe, we must make smart, upstream investments that prevent

crime in the first place. We must invest in our young people and provide them with safe places away from gun
violence. Places to just be kids, and to play and build trust with law enforcement

Island Borough President Vito Fos-
sella, we also announced over $30
million in investments in parks and
recreation projects on Staten Island.
These are investments made through
our “Best Budget Ever” and in-
cludes funding that will upgrade the
Bloomingdale Park playground, the
Snug Harbor Cultural Center and
Botanical Garden, and the Staten
Island Zoo — expanding access to
public spaces and improving quality
of life for all Staten Islanders. We
ERIC ADAMS have always been a five-borough ad-
ministration, and these investments
rom day one, our adminis- show exactly how we are delivering
tration’s North Star has been for New Yorker in every corner of
Fpublic safety. We have gone to our city.
work to sweep out crime and illegal Having recreational spaces for
activities from our neighborhoods, our children is essential to building
and because of this work, we are cur- stronger communities. It is when our
rently in our eighth consecutive quar- kids have no place to go and nothing
ter of crime reductions. That means to do that the rivers of violence flow.
for almost two straight years — since I was a young man once — dyslexic
January 2024 — crime has consistent- and on the wrong path at 15 years
ly declined each quarter in New York old, but I was lucky and got a second
City. Having recreational spaces for our children is essential to building chance to turn my pain into purpose.
But public safety is about more stronger communities (File photo) Every young person should have an
than just policing. To make sure our opportunity to thrive. We must give
communities feel safe and are safe, the growth and safety of their child safety. By investing in free program- our young people an alternative at
we must make smart, upstream in- is not limited to the classroom. The ming to keep young people safe and the times when crimes are most like-
vestments that prevent crime in the programming at the Harlem Field engaged, like Saturday Night Lights ly to be committed.
first place. We must invest in our of Dreams will keep our children and the New York City Soccer Ini- We cannot give our young peo-
young people and provide them with healthy, engaged, and connected to tiative, the Harlem Field of Dreams ple up for lost before they have even
safe places away from gun violence. their community. upholds our commitment to making started; that is what the Fields of
Places to just be kids, and to play and This new facility will also help smart, upstream investments that Dreams and these public spaces are
build trust with law enforcement. tell the story of Brigadier Gener- prevent crime in the first place. all about.
Last week, we opened the “Har- al Young. Born into slavery in 1864, Our Saturday Night Lights pro- Our parks and public spaces
lem Field of Dreams,” a state-of-the- Charles Young graduated from West gram partners with 136 gyms across play a crucial role in the peaceful-
art sporting field in Harlem that will Point as only the ninth Black cadet the five boroughs to create year- ness of our neighborhoods. They
provide a space for our young peo- in the school’s history. His career round safe spaces for young people offer a sea of greenery in the con-
ple to play baseball, softball, foot- included a historic appointment as to learn and play every Saturday crete jungle, and an area to relax
ball, soccer, and lacrosse, as well as the first Black National Parks super- night, fostering positive relationships in the city that never sleeps. They
learn life skills and stay engaged in intendent. And up until his death and trust between young people and are where we come together, build
positive activities. First announced in 1922, he was the highest-ranking police officers. And the New York community, and take our children
in our State of the City address ear- Black officer in the U.S. Army. The City Soccer Initiative promotes safe, to play. With these investments we
lier this year, this $11 million project story of Brigadier General Charles active, and engaged communities, are ensuring that New York City re-
has turned a dilapidated field into a Young is one of possibility and per- while also connecting young men of mains the safest big city in America
vibrant, safe, and enriching space for severance — a story that the Harlem color with mentorship opportunities. and the best place to raise a family.
800 children in Harlem to play, learn, Field of Dreams will preserve. As part of our commitment to
and build trust. With this new field, This project also builds on our making New York City the best place Eric Adams is the Mayor of
parents can rest easy knowing that administration’s approach to public to raise a family, alongside Staten New York City, NY

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