"STATEN ISLAND, NY -- Joseph Homsey loves playground swings. Going for a swing in Clove Lakes Park was something he did often as a child, when he stayed out in neighborhood parks until the streetlights came on. It's something he can do now, just steps away from his new office. "To be in Parks, you have to be a bit of a kid," the native Staten Islander, who has two young children of his own, said while walking the historic outdoor space."
"Homsey was named Staten Island's new borough parks commissioner in June, and has spent every moment since then immersing himself in the parks he has loved since childhood. But he didn't start his career with an eye on this position, which oversees the borough's vast amount of public amenities and more than 7,700 acres of parkland; at first, he just wanted to work outside. Homsey's parents instilled the importance of time outdoors and nature in him at a young age. He'd ride his bike from his house to his local park, and spend his time exploring the grounds, petting the Parks Enforcement Patrol horses and skating at WWII Veterans Memorial Ice Rink in Sunnyside."
Joseph Homsey grew up in Staten Island and developed a lifelong affection for local parks, often swinging at Clove Lakes Park and exploring neighborhood green spaces. His parents emphasized time outdoors and he participated in Boy Scouts and served as an assistant ranger at William H. Pouch Scout Camp. He earned a BA in forensic psychology and later an MPA plus an advanced certificate in emergency management from John Jay College. His early Parks Department work focused on enforcement before moving into stewardship coordination and outreach, contributing to the MillionTreesNYC initiative. He became borough parks commissioner in June and continues active engagement with park operations and community service.
Read at silive
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]