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Time Out
5 days ago
- General
- Time Out
L.A. was ranked one of the worst cities in the U.S. for public parks
The City of Angels' park score? Let's just say it's no walk in the park. According to a new report by the Trust for Public Land, a nonprofit organization that makes it their mission to connect people to the outdoors, Los Angeles plummeted to the 90th spot out of 100 major metropolitan areas throughout the U.S. for its park system. This is as astonishing stat, given that Los Angeles netted the 49th spot on the very same ranking just five years prior. What has changed so much in the city to necessitate such poor marks? Well, firstly, let's get into the report's methodology: Trust for Public Land looks at five important categories in determining which cities come out on top and which fall short: equity, access, investment, amenities, and acreage. The ranking for each city, including Los Angeles, is determined by comparison to all of the other 100 major metropolitan areas, considering the park system's features. This national Park Score index is published each year, hopefully sparking not only dialogue, but also an action plan for leaders to achieve more resources for improving a city's park systems. Washington D.C. earned the number one spot and it's easy to see why—99-percent of residents live near a green space and over 21-percent of public land is used for parks. Other cities earning a top spot in all of the five categories include: Minneapolis, Minnesota; Cincinnati, Ohio; St. Paul, Minnesota; and the nearby Irvine, California. Los Angeles could, in fact, take a page out of San Francisco's play book—its northern sibling earned a sixth-place spot, edging out L.A. in all five categories. (Fun fact: 100-percent of residents in The Golden City live within a ten-minute walk to a park.) While Los Angeles scored above average on acreage (or the city's overall land dedicated to parkland) and average for access to green spaces, the investment score was low. 'In Los Angeles, a total of $111 per capita is spent each year on publicly accessible parks and recreation, below average for this category,' the report says. Los Angeles also scored below average for amenities and equity, which indicates "the fairness in the distribution of parks and park space between neighborhoods by race and income'—in L.A., residents living in lower-income neighborhoods have access to 79-percent less nearby park space than those in higher income neighborhoods, while people of color had 33-percent less park space per person than their white counterparts. Silver lining: The Trust for Public Land report also highlights the areas in Los Angeles that could use the most help. The mapping platform helps leaders determine where to pinpoint their efforts to make the greatest gains because everyone deserves access to the outdoors, regardless of race, income or location.
Axios
28-05-2025
- General
- Axios
Detroit's parks rating rises in annual ranking
Detroit's parks system climbed in a national ranking this year, but greater investment in our green spaces and better amenities are needed to compete with higher-ranking cities. Why it matters: Detroit has more than 300 parks that serve as community meetup spots, offer space for exercise, and can attract new residents. The city is investing more into its parks now, but there's still work to do. Driving the news: We're No. 58 on the Trust for Public Land's 2025 ParkScore index of park systems in the 100 most populous cities in the country, up from No. 65 last year. The ranking is based on five categories: acreage, access, amenities, investment and equity. The analysis includes data from public and private organizations that manage or support publicly accessible parks. Zoom in: Detroit received high marks this year for park access, with 84% of Detroiters living within a 10-minute walk of a park. The parks scored well for amenities like basketball courts and sports fields, but a dearth of permanent restrooms and dog parks hurt the ranking. Per person, $118 was spent on the city's parks system — more than last year's $80 average but below the national average of $133. Zoom out: Washington, D.C., had the country's best park system this year, followed by Irvine, California. What they're saying: Detroit's parks have improved significantly in recent years, Sigal Hemy Spiegel, executive director of the Detroit Parks Coalition, tells Axios. "If you go out on a summer day to any of our regional parks, they're slammed with people. It's awesome," Spiegel says. Context: The city has 14 regional parks of at least 50 acres, including Belle Isle, Balduck and Palmer parks. Yes, but: Spiegel says the city's parks could improve with more regular trash pickups at all 300-plus parks. She also suggested starting regular park maintenance well before Memorial Day because many people use the parks in April. The coalition partners with the city, philanthropic organizations and community groups to support the city's parks. Flashback: Detroit's ParkScore ranked 88th in 2018. The city contemplated closing 77 parks in 2010 when it was on a path to bankruptcy. Between the lines: Detroit's sheer size — nearly 140 square miles — hinders its acreage score, which measures the percentage of the city's overall area that's dedicated to parkland.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Los Angeles ranked one of the worst cities in America for parks
Despite Los Angeles' natural beauty, access to the outdoors isn't as easy as it seems. The city itself has been named one of the worst metro areas for parks, according to a new report. Of 100 major metropolitan areas, Los Angeles landed at 90th in the Trust for Public Land's annual Parks Score rankings, which takes into account equity, access, investment, amenities and overall acreage. Just five years ago, the city was ranked 49th. The reason, according to TPL, is a 'decades-long trend of disinvestment in the city's green spaces.' While L.A. got decent marks for the overall acreage of its park system, it took a major hit due to a lack of amenities, equity and financial investment. Only 62% of Angelenos live within a 10-minute walk of a park, TPL data shows, compared to 76% among the 100 most populous U.S. cities. More than 1.5 million L.A. residents lack a park within ten minutes of home, the report shows. We asked ChatGPT how 'hot' the KTLA team is: Here's what it said In L.A., neighborhoods of color — areas with the highest concentrations of people of color — the disparity over park access is extremely pronounced. Residents in neighborhoods of color have 33% less park space per person than the city's average, and 72% less than those in white neighborhoods. Predominantly Black neighborhoods have 38% less access to parks than the city median; predominantly white neighborhoods have approximately 140% more access to parks than the city median. The disparity is particularly noticeable when looking at low- versus high-income neighborhoods. 'In Los Angeles, residents in low-income neighborhoods have access to 48% less park space per person than those in the average Los Angeles neighborhood and 79% less than those in high-income neighborhoods,' TPL wrote in its report. L.A. was about on par with the rest of the nation for what percent of its land is designated for parks and recreation. The national median was 15%, Los Angeles came in just under that at 14%. Los Angeles also was given a low score for its park amenities, including basketball hoops, playgrounds, bathrooms and sports fields. For example, L.A. was awarded 11 out of a possible 100 points for its total number of playgrounds compared to the population. The TPL report shows that the city has five playgrounds per 10,000 children. It scored even lower with dog parks, garnering 4 out of 100 points in that category, with 0.4 dog parks per 100,000 people. Los Angeles also scored low among the top 100 metro areas for its total investment in its park systems. According to TPL, L.A. has invested $111 per person in its parks system; that's in the bottom third of most populous cities both nationally and in California. For comparison, the top two cities in California—Irvine and San Francisco—have invested $681 and $561 per person, respectively, over the last three fiscal years. Irvine exploring aerial gondola system for massive public park But it wasn't always that way. According to the TPL report, just five years ago, L.A. was above average both nationally and statewide. So what happened? In short, the city has decided to spend less on its parks system and more on other departments and administrative costs. 'The parks department's capital expenditures—used to acquire and expand new parks, fix broken equipment, and refresh existing spaces—are about half what they were five years ago,' the report reads. 'This decrease is poised to worsen with the pending expiration of Proposition K, a voter-approved measure from 1996 that dedicated $25 million per year in property tax revenue to the construction and renovation of city parks.' Staffing shortages and a backlog of deferred maintenance on park projects is causing L.A. to fall behind its peers. A third factor, according to TPL, involves investment from philanthropic or other public agencies. Only 6% of the city's total parks investment comes from these sources, which is half the national average. 'In many of the country's top park systems, citywide conservancies have emerged to shoulder a significant share of the cost burden and to provide support for 'friends of' groups that help create programming and maintain the spaces.' But there are reasons for optimism, TPL says. 'The city has begun a massive community-wide parks needs assessment—often a precursor to a citywide parks master plan or successful funding measures,' TPL writes. 'The needs assessment can help L.A. identify communities that lack equitable park space and the positive health, climate, and economic outcomes quality green spaces yield.' One novel solution that the report suggests is better partnership with local schools to address the lack of public green space. 'Transforming asphalt schoolyards into park-like facilities and opening them for community use after school hours … accommodate[s] play and outdoor learning in a nature-rich environment that can be made available to the broader community to enjoy outside of school hours.' Highly contagious COVID strain detected in CA amid vaccine crackdown Nationally, about 20 million people, including children and their families, live within a 10-minute walk of a public school that has 'potential' to feature a community schoolyard. While major renovations to Los Angeles Unified School District's 600 outdoor spaces would take a lot of time and effort, in the meantime, simply opening school playgrounds and ballfields to the public on weekends and after school hours 'would put L.A. in good company.' TPL says 75 of the 100 most populous cities have already adopted this strategy, and if embraced in L.A., as many as one million more people would have access to open space within ten minutes of home, potentially doubling the number of playgrounds and basketball hoops available citywide and increasing the percentage of nearby green space from 62% to 85%. Those changes alone would propel L.A.'s 2025 park system ranks from 90th to 55th. Dedicated funding sources and better collaboration and creativity during times of financial instability will also be key to realizing the full untapped potential of Los Angeles as one of the nation's meccas of park space and greenery. For the complete report on L.A.'s ParkScore from the Trust for Public Land, click here. To read more about the top ParkScores in the nation, including California's top cities in Irvine and San Francisco, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Milwaukee and Madison ranked among the best cities in U.S. for parks and trails, a new report says
Millions of people visited parks and trails across Wisconsin last year, and while some of the most popular parks are out state, Milwaukee and Madison are also home to hundreds of local parks — and two of the top park systems in the nation, according to a new survey. National non-profit Trust for Public Land assists communities in creating parks and protecting public land. TPL recently published its 2025 ParkScore rankings, which rank the 100 most populous U.S. cities by comparing equity, access, investment and amenities in public parks. Milwaukee and Madison landed on the list of U.S. cities with the best parks in the country. Here's a look at where they ranked on the list plus a breakdown of the report. According to the report, Milwaukee ranked 18 among the best cities for parks in the U.S. 95% of Milwaukee residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park. The national average of all U.S. urban cities and towns is 57%. Across the city, Milwaukee has 269 parks. However, Milwaukee residents in neighborhoods with the highest concentration of people of color have access to 30% less park space per person than the city's average, and 55% less than those in predominately White neighborhoods, according to the report. Milwaukee residents in low-income neighborhoods also have 33% less access to park space compared to people in the average Milwaukee neighborhood, and 55% less than people in high-income neighborhoods. According to the report, 9% of Milwaukee's land is used for parks and recreation, compared to the national median which is 15%. The city's total investment in parks is $188 per capita. You can find your nearest park or trail in Milwaukee here. Just slightly behind Milwaukee, Madison's ranked 19 among the U.S. best cities for parks, according to TPL. Ninety-eight percent of Madison residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park. Madison has 305 parks. In Madison, 11% of the city's land is used for parks and recreation. The city's total spending on parks and trails is $115 per capita. According to the report, Madison residents in neighborhoods with the highest concentration of people of color have access to 12% more park space per person than the city's average and 21% less than those in White neighborhoods. In Madison, low-income neighborhoods have access to 55% less park space per person than people in the average Madison neighborhood and 70% less than those in high-income neighborhoods, according to the report. Washington D.C. is the best city for parks in the U.S., according to the report. Across the city, 99% of residents live near a park. That's because 21.5% of city land is used for parks, with 699 parks and greenspaces. The city spends $393 per capita on parks, according to the report. Top 10 cities on the 2025 ParkScore report: Washington, D.C. Irvine, California Minneapolis, Minnesota Cincinnati, Ohio St. Paul, Minnesota San Francisco, California Arlington, Virginia Seattle, Washington Portland, Oregon Denver, Colorado This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee, Madison among best cities in US for parks, report says
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Nashville lands in bottom half of park rankings, buoyed by park acreage, added investment
Among America's 100 most populous cities, Nashville is in the back half of the pack when it comes to the quality of its park system. That's according to the Trust for Public Land's 2025 'ParkScore' index, which ranks park systems by factors including access, equity, acreage, investment and amenities. In this year's ranking, Nashville comes in at 74th, up four spots from last year's rankings. The other Tennessee city on the list, Memphis, comes in at 70th. A release from the Trust for Public Land notes that Nashville's move up this year's rankings was helped by improvements to park acreage and public investment. Here's what else the ranking said about Nashville's park system. According to the ParkScore index, Nashville's strongest marks came from its acreage rating. The Trust for Public Land found that Nashville's median park size is 16.7 acres — more than triple the national ParkScore city average of 5.4 acres. Nashville's ranking boost also benefited from an increase in investment. Today, Nashville spends $116 per capita on park investments, with that money coming mostly from city agencies. That spending is up from $81 in last year's rankings — but the increased spending is still below the national ParkScore city average of $133 per person. In most other areas of the ranking, Nashville falls below the national average. That includes the percentage of residents who live within a 10-minute walk of a park. In Davidson County, that's only 44% — well below the 76% average among the 100 most populous U.S. cities, and also below the 57% average for all urban cities and towns in the country. Nashville also comes in below the national median for the percentage of land used for parks and recreation. The national median is 15%, and Nashville uses only 12% of land for parks. Compared to Nashville, Memphis performs a little better in some elements of the ranking profile. For instance, Memphis' park investments come in at $185 per capita, well over the national average in park spending per person. And though not far off of Nashville's performance and still below average, about 45% of Memphis residents like within a 10-minute walk of a park. Memphis performed especially poorly compared to Nashville when it comes to the percentage of land used for parks and recreation — just 6%. Austin Hornbostel is the Metro reporter for The Tennessean. Have a question about local government you want an answer to? Reach him at ahornbostel@ Get Davidson County news delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville lands in bottom half of park rankings
