Parks Dept. Appoints New Queens Borough Commissioner

QUEENS, NY — The NYC Parks Department appointed Michael Dockett as borough commissioner of Queens Parks, the agency announced Wednesday. He will succeed Dorothy Lewandowski, who recently retired after 14 years in the position.

Dockett has spent 33 years working for the city's parks department, most recently as the assistant commissioner for the Urban Park Service. He currently lives in Laurelton, Queens.

Dockett started his career in 1984 as an urban park ranger in Queens. In 2016, Dockett he received the agency's Mary Purcell Award for his long-lasting influence on the Maintenance, Operations and Urban Park Service divisions.

“Mike Dockett has had a lasting impact on the many divisions he has worked in at NYC Parks,” NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver said in a statement. “I am confident that his background in environmental education, enforcement, and emergency management will be a benefit in his new role leading Queens’ beloved green spaces.”

Queens has more than 460 parks, with 7,740 acres of open space. The parks department has about 250 active capital improvement projects underway in the borough, according to the agency.