They improve health and wellness, spur economic development and investments, and build climate resilience. Governments and public officials are increasingly leveraging parks as smart investments in their communities.
We’ve compiled stories and strategies from 11 American cities that have leveraged city parks to create positive, lasting change in the social, economic, and physical well-being of their residents.
With growing urban populations and aging infrastructure, local governments and their city planners are taking a fresh look at parks as a wise investment of municipal resources to address our greatest urban challenges, from stormwater management and flood prevention to reducing public health costs to economic revitalization and job growth.
This five-part series documents the multi-functional benefits of urban parks.
Videos were made possible by generous support from The Speedwell Foundation.
This overview video introduces how urban parks serve as multifunctional infrastructure in cities, addressing challenges such as stormwater management, health and well-being, transportation, and economic development.
Parks drive economic activity and spur private sector investment. This video features inspiring examples from New York, NY; Greenville, SC; Washington, D.C.; and Nashville, TN.
Parks help mitigate stormwater while adding recreational opportunities and spurring additional private investment. This video features examples in Atlanta, GA; Nashville, TN; and Houston, TX.
Linear parks and trails provide exceptional, healthy, and sustainable transportation options to city residents. This video features the Fairmount Park System in Philadelphia, PA; The 606 in Chicago, IL; and The Lafitte Greenway in New Orleans, LA.
City parks provide many health and social benefits. This video features examples from Brooklyn, NY; Denver, CO; and Oklahoma City, OK as well as national context for the health benefits of parks.