When it comes to open space, we’ve got the market cornered, hard-numbers-wise. According to the most recent land-use reports available, we have nearly 70,000 acres set aside for open space and recreation. New York City? A paltry 41,466 acres.
To be fair (and, if anything, we’re fair), those 41,466 acres total 27 percent of overall land use, while our open spaces only comprise 22 percent of our total acreage. Then again, they have so many more people (and stubby little dogs) vying for a serene moment in those green spaces. The City currently has 8.4 million residents—meaning there are .005 acres of open space for every poor tree-hugger. Meanwhile, each of Westchester’s nearly 1 million residents can luxuriate in a relatively exorbitant .070 acres of open space.
And that’s just parks. That doesn’t even take into account our private gardens and yards, which, as anyone who has to mow can attest, can get pretty expansive. So, next time one of your City counterparts boasts about killing a weekend at some exclusive bar, sheepishly mention that you just had a quiet day at home, playing bocce on a regulation-size court in your backyard, followed by a swim in your pool.
