Photo credit: NYC Parks Department
NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue joined Councilmember Rafael Salamanca Jr. at Hunt’s Point Playground in the Bronx on May 9, 2024, to celebrate the successful installation of new baby changing tables in park public restrooms. With the installation of 600 new changing tables completed this year, Parks has met the City Council’s call for changing stations in all Parks’ restrooms, more than three years ahead of the deadline. This installation reaffirms NYC Parks’ commitment to equity and access, providing safer and healthier public spaces.
In 2020, Parks inventoried public restrooms and determined that only 37% of the roughly 1,300 restrooms under their care offered changing tables. After these findings, Parks worked to rectify this critical gap in service, purchasing and installing 600 baby changing tables. Baby changing stations are now a standard feature installed in any newly built or renovated Parks restroom. According to a recent Citywide Bathroom Study, 73 percent of New York City residents are within a 10–minute walk of a Parks public restroom.
Last year, Local Law 56 was passed, formalizing NYC Parks’ efforts to install baby changing stations in every restroom located in a city park wherever feasible.
Currently, Parks has baby changing tables in 90 percent of restrooms including men’s, women’s, and all-gender facilities. These baby changing stations are accessible to anybody caring for a child, ensuring everyone feels valued and respected. The new tables are not just highly durable and easy to clean, but also moisture resistant and ADA compliant, ensuring the highest standards of safety and hygiene. Crafted with a high-density polyethylene interior and brushed stainless steel exterior, the changing tables are naturally resistant to bacteria, ensuring easy sanitization due to their smooth surfaces that prevent dirt buildup in crevices. With a load capacity of 250 lbs., they offer convenience for families, or caregivers, to safely place changing bags and other items while attending to their children.
To view the complete list of park restrooms, please visit our public restrooms page.
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