The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation has a new leader: Upper East Sider Tricia Shimamura.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani appointed Shimamura as commissioner of the parks department on Saturday. Now, Shimamura will oversee more than 30,000 acres of public parkland in New York City, from green fields and playgrounds to forests and beaches.
“Under the leadership of Tricia Shimamura, our Parks Department will strive to make this a city that every New Yorker can afford to not just live in but enjoy,” Mamdani said of the appointment.
Shimamura, who lives on the Upper East Side with her husband Dov and their two sons, brings more than a decade of experience in public service, Mamdani said.
Source: Tue, Jan 20, 2026