Park People / Ami·es des parcs’ Post

What makes a city a great place to live? 🏙️ Access to green space is especially valuable for residents. Investing resources to make urban parks attractive to different groups is a sure way to improve equitable inclusion. Phalen Park in St. Paul, MN, offers a model for other diverse urban communities. 🌳🚲 Read more in this opinion piece from The Conversation: https://lnkd.in/euzMAneJ.

🌳☘️ It’s Love Parks Week! Join us in celebrating Love Parks Week. Love Parks Week is organised by Keep Britain Tidy and highlights the crucial role green spaces play in enhancing the health and wellbeing of our communities. In London, these parks provide a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of city life.  Concept Culture collaborated with LDN Collective and Commonplace in 2020 on the #ParkPower campaign, featured in the London Festival of Architecture 2020. This initiative aimed to highlight the significance of parks and community during a defining moment in the pandemic.  Through a targeted social media campaign, we curated digital content that invited residents to share their aspirations for their local parks, resulting in over 8,000 unique visitors and 3,500 contributions. The LDN Collective created an E-Book with conclusions, recommendations and design proposals based on the feedback from the public. The aim was to help local authorities make the best use of their limited resources and developers create the most successful new green spaces. By reimagining the future of London’s parks as places to exercise, socialise, relax and enjoy in safety. Revisit the Park Power e-book - link in comments.  What's your favourite park and why? Share in the comments below.  📷: Our favourite parks (Unsplash) - Hampstead Heath, Clissold Park, Greenwich Park, Primrose Hill, and Hyde Park.  #builtenvironment #branding #storytelling #loveparks #londonparks

Regardless of socio-economic status, age, race or ethnicity, urban parks are places where individuals come together, fostering a sense of belonging and shared identity. In 2016, an HR&A Advisors study found that the Dallas parks system returns $678 million to the local economy each year, a 7-to-1 return on investment.    The Dallas Park and Recreation Department (DPARD) asked us to revisit the findings from our original study, and we found that public parks continue to be powerful agents of change, and investing in parks pays off.      #UrbanParks #Equity #Sustainability #CommunityWellbeing 

Austin Parks Ranked No. 3 in Texas in the annual 2024 ParkScore Index by Trust for Public Land. Did you know?: -69% of residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park -Austin's investment in parks stands at $198 per capita, well above the national average of $124. -11% of our land is dedicated to parks and recreation This recognition underscores why Austin is such an attractive place to live, work, and play. Enhancing our quality of life through accessible and well-funded green spaces helps make our city a vibrant hub for businesses and families alike. Learn more: https://hubs.la/Q02Gtx6N0

City parks significantly enhance neighborhoods and the built environment in various ways, contributing to physical, social, economic, and environmental improvements. They promote physical health by providing spaces for exercise and recreational activities, which encourage residents to engage in walking, running, cycling, and sports, thereby reducing the risk of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and other health conditions. Socially, parks serve as communal spaces where people can gather, interact, and build social connections, fostering a sense of community and belonging. They also host cultural events, festivals, and performances, enhancing the cultural vibrancy of a neighborhood. Economically, parks increase property values, making neighborhoods more desirable and boosting local property tax revenues. They also attract businesses, such as cafes, restaurants, and retail shops, which stimulates the local economy. Environmentally, parks improve air quality by filtering pollutants and provide cooling effects to counter the urban heat island effect through trees and vegetation. They also aid in stormwater management by acting as natural drainage systems, reducing flooding and managing runoff. Psychologically, parks offer benefits like stress reduction and improved mental well-being, enhancing the overall quality of life by providing a natural refuge from the urban environment. Aesthetically, parks contribute to the visual appeal of neighborhoods, making them more attractive and livable. Integrating parks into urban planning promotes sustainable design and environmental stewardship. Moreover, well-maintained parks with active community use can lead to a reduction in crime by fostering community vigilance and engagement, while providing safe play areas for children, which is crucial for their development. By addressing multiple facets of urban life, parks play a crucial role in creating vibrant, healthy, and sustainable communities. So, get out there and enjoy all the benefits of your local city parks. #HealthyNeighborhoods, #UrbanPlanning, #CommunityDesign, #HealthEquity, #SocialDeterminants, #SDOH, #HealthEquity, #ARDX

Cities and counties are about more than just buildings and infrastructure. Thriving urban centers need vibrant public spaces that foster a sense of community and belonging, and parks play a crucial role in achieving this. While access to green space is essential, it's not enough. Inclusive city parks go further, making all residents feel welcome and safe. Through diverse programming, you can cater to various interests and age groups with cultural events, festivals, and recreational activities. Equitable amenities ensure all residents can access essential resources like clean restrooms, clear signage in multiple languages, and well-maintained facilities. However, managing these green spaces can challenge park and recreation departments. 🌳 @CivicPlus offers a comprehensive recreation management software solution designed to streamline operations and empower your team. Find out more: https://lnkd.in/gmZunBcD #LocalGovernment #ParksAndRecreation #WeLoveOurParks https://lnkd.in/gtpvdAbK

"As urban challenges mount, community-driven placemaking is gaining traction, with cities empowering residents to shape public spaces like parks and plazas through informal partnerships and decentralized decision-making. This global shift toward a range of partnerships is reshaping urban governance from the ground up." Placemaking Europe PlacemakingX https://lnkd.in/djnfZWAE

Seven Leeds Parks Earn Prestigious Green Flag Award, Celebrated as Top Green Spaces in the Nation. Seven parks and green spaces in Leeds have once again been honored with the prestigious Green Flag Award, reaffirming their status as top-quality international spaces. Golden Acre Park, Kirkstall Abbey, Middleton Park, Otley Chevin Forest Park, Pudsey Park, Roundhay Park, and Temple Newsam Estate, all managed by Leeds City Council, have been recognized among the best in the country. These awarded sites serve as crucial community hubs in Leeds, fostering social connections and promoting healthy lifestyles among residents. The impact of the Green Flag Award Scheme is profound. For communities, the presence of a Green Flag park means access to a well-maintained and safe environment, which is vital for recreation, exercise, and connecting with nature. These spaces also play a crucial role in promoting mental health, fostering social cohesion, and enhancing the attractiveness of neighborhoods. The Green Flag Award Scheme remains a cornerstone in the endeavor to ensure that everyone has access to high-quality green spaces, reflecting the ethos that good environments are a fundamental part of thriving communities https://lnkd.in/gYzZcA-V #LeedsNews #Leeds

Catch Eli Dvorkin and I in amNY today, making the case that the time is *now* for the city to think outside the box with new ways to sustainably fund our parks and open space—their ongoing maintenance, and future creation. (And our Center for an Urban Future report has 20 ideas to do exactly that.) https://lnkd.in/eR8X7zJ5

As Dallas Park and Recreation Board President in 2017, I fought alongside my colleagues and community advocates for bond investments in parks, trails, aquatic centers, and recreation centers. The results speak for themselves. Voters overwhelmingly approved the 2017 parks bond for transformative projects all over the city, including: 🤸♂️ A 41,000-square-foot gem of a recreation center in Singing Hills, "a landmark right here in the heart of District 8," said Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Tennell Atkins. 🚲 A public-private match for the Trinity Forest Spine Trail, which opened this fall linking White Rock Lake and the Great Trinity Forest. Council members Jesse Moreno, Paula Caldwell Blackmon, and Adam Bazaldua led the ribbon cutting celebration in October. "We have a bond coming up and this needs to absolutely be prioritized," Bazaldua proclaimed. "These are the spaces that bring communities together in more ways than one." 🏞 Match funding for three new Downtown parks, West End Square, Carpenter Park, and Harwood Park, all of which are now opened. They serve as national models for how to transform urban streets and parking lots into green spaces that drive economic development and build stronger neighborhoods. Now, Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson, Park Board President Arun Agarwal, city Greening Czar Garrett Boone and many others are fighting the good fight once again for funding parks in the 2024 Bond Program. As Mayor Johnson told CBS 11's Jack Fink in an interview earlier this week, "it's not often that you find a policy solution that gives you such a high return on investment... we're good at parks, we actually know what we're doing, we develop parks well, our parks system is excellent. We need to lean in on that." 📺 Take a few minutes to watch the mayor's thoughts on why we need to continue to invest in Dallas parks, trails, and recreation centers in next year's bond. #dallas #parks #future #environment #gettingthingsdone