Cities and communities are using parks and recreation spaces as vital physical and civic infrastructure for addressing climate change, ensuring resilience, and responding to civic and climate crises.

As cities invest in parks to support community development and boost local economies, a key focus is on how agencies and partners are ensuring these improvements promote inclusive growth and benefit existing residents without driving displacement.

Shifting federal funding, disruptive macroeconomic trends, and waning philanthropic support are challenging traditional urban park funding models but also offer a chance to reimagine cross-sector roles and partnerships for more sustainable and equitable investment.

The COVID pandemic underscored the vital role of parks in supporting physical and mental health, social connection, and childhood development, yet parks remain underrecognized and underfunded as essential components of community health systems.