Latest news with #SophieHarrisVorhoff
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Minneapolis ranks among best parks in country, while St. Paul drops out of top 3
Minneapolis ranked among the top three park systems in the U.S. for the third straight year in the Trust for Public Land's annual ranking. Minnesota's largest city dropped to third after ranking second last year. Meanwhile, St. Paul ranks fifth in the nation, falling out of the top three after 10 straight years on the podium. While there's a bit of jockeying between the Twin Cities, they are consistently among the best park systems in the nation. Prior to its run in the top three, Minneapolis placed fifth in 2022, third in 2021, and first in 2020. Meanwhile, St. Paul was third last year and placed second in 2023, 2022, and 2021. 'This national recognition reflects our city's unwavering commitment to equity, environmental stewardship, and expanding access to parks and green spaces for all,' Andy Rodriguez, Director of Saint Paul Parks and Recreation, says. "We believe parks are essential to building healthy, connected communities, and we're proud to be recognized for our work to ensure every resident has access to vibrant, welcoming public spaces." For the fifth straight year, Washington, D.C., which has preserved 21% of the city's land for parks, topped the list. According to the nonprofit Trust for Public Land, these are the top 10 highest-ranked park systems. Scores listed are out of 100. Washington, D.C. (85.5) Irvine, Calif. (84.3) Minneapolis, Minn. (83.6) Cincinnati, Ohio (82) St. Paul, Minn. (81.8) San Francisco, Calif. (80.2) Arlington, Va. (77.9) Seattle, Wash. (77.4) Portland, Ore. (76) Denver, Colo. (75.1) The ParkScore index used by the Trust for Public Land ranks the 100 most populous cities in the country and is often seen as a reliable, detailed source for park evaluation. Those cities are ranked on five factors: park access, park equity, park acreage, park investment, and park amenities. The first category measures the percentage of residents who live within a 10-minute walk from a park. Equity compares per capita park space and that 10-minute walk access in communities of color versus white communities and in low-income neighborhoods versus high-income neighborhoods. In both Minneapolis and St. Paul, 99% of residents live within a 10-minute walk from a park. That's significantly higher than the national average of 76%. Similarly, both cities are above the national average of spending $133 on parks per resident. Minneapolis is at $324, and St. Paul is at $248. Minneapolis had perfect or near-perfect scores in access, investment, and amenities. Though it ranked lower in acreage, with 14% of the land used for parks, which is below the national average of 15%, the same split as St. Paul. "No other state can claim what Minnesota can: two nation-leading park systems in its largest cities. As other communities raise the bar, we're reminded that continued investment is essential to keep our parks strong, accessible, and equitable," says Sophie Harris Vorhoff, Minnesota State Director for Trust for Public Land. The drop in rankings for both Minnesota cities was largely due to gains made in Irvine and Cincinnati, the Trust for Public Land adds. Among niche rankings inside the ParkScore, St. Paul topped all park systems in the country for basketball hoop access. St. Paul also got high marks in rec and senior centers (100 of 100 points), sport fields (88 of 100 points), and bathrooms (100 of 100 points). Minneapolis ranked well in basketball hoops (100 of 100 points), rec and senior centers (100 of 100 points), sport fields (93 of 100 points), bathrooms (100 of 100 points), and splashpads (100 of 100 points). Other cities that topped some of those niche categories include Boise, with the best park system for dogs. Las Vegas has the highest score for playgrounds, and Boston got top marks for splashpads and other water features in parks.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
St. Paul's parks rank fifth-best in the nation
St. Paul's sprawling park system ranks fifth-best in the nation, down two spots from last year and two spots behind Minneapolis, according to the latest annual scorecard from the Trust for Public Land. The capital city's parks have long landed in the top three of the 100 most populous cities surveyed, and losing some ground in this year's ParkScore Index is not for lack of public investment, said Sophie Harris Vorhoff, Minnesota State director with the nonprofit parks advocacy organization. In fact, Minneapolis spends $324 per person on its park system, and St. Paul invests $248, both of which are well above the national ParkScore average of $133. And, that investment is growing. St. Paul voters went to the polls in November 2023 and approved a percentage point increase to the city's sales tax, which is expected to generate $1 billion over 20 years, including $246 million for parks. As more sales tax-funded projects come online, it's possible the city regains its perch in the top 3, Vorhoff said. Washington, D.C., always a strong contestant, ranked first this year, as it did in 2024. Irvine, Calif., which came in second, was recognized for its progress on building one of the most ambitious municipal parks in the country — Great Park, which currently spans 500 acres, and will soon add 300 more. Minneapolis fell a spot to third this year and Cincinnati — which renovated its downtown Lytle Park and engaged in a citywide effort to improve public access to schoolyards and other open spaces — came in fourth. For the Twin Cities, 'the drop in rankings is really a reflection on other cities making investments and strides forward, rather than a lack of investment in the two cities,' Vorhoff said. The Trust for Public Land is working with school districts to renovate outdated schoolyards into welcoming places that families can enjoy during non-school hours. Five such projects are underway in Minnesota from Red Lake to Rochester, including the upcoming overhaul of St. Paul's Maxfield Elementary School playground on Victoria Street in the Old Rondo neighborhood. Groundbreaking for that project — which drew students and community members together for planning — will take place in early June. 'There was a student-led class about what makes a great space for all,' Vorhoff said. 'From your 8-year-olds to your 80-year-olds, what makes a great space to play?' Another group of playgrounds will be chosen next year. Other parks projects moving forward in St. Paul include the upcoming opening of downtown Pedro Park at 10th and Robert streets, which has undergone $8 million in planning and construction, and the Wakan Tipi Center, a cultural and environmental learning center under construction within the Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary. The center — led by Wakan Tipi Awanyankapi, previously known as the Lower Phalen Creek Project — is 'a national model project, and it's exciting to see it moving ahead,' Vorhoff said. New this year, the Trust for Public Land surveyed voters who supported Donald Trump or Kamala Harris in the last presidential election and found heavily similar attitudes toward public park space. In all, 80% of Harris voters and 83% of Trump voters described themselves as regular visitors to local parks and said they feel comfortable there. Two-thirds of both groups said they had struck up a conversation with a person they did not know at the park. The National Survey on Outdoor Public Spaces was conducted by national pollster YouGov in March, and survey details are included in the new Trust for Public Land report 'Parks, The Great Unifiers.' Lowertown favorite Dark Horse to reopen, from owners of Can Can Wonderland and St. Paul Brewing Charge: DNA links St. Paul man to 2013 rape at Maplewood motel CommonBond Communities to outsource, layoff 117 from St. Paul headquarters Shooter gets 33½-year prison term for killing St. Paul man after Edina birthday dinner Chroma Zone mural festival returns to St. Paul for sixth year
