Resources

Resources for Park and Recreation Professionals

With help from our members and research partners, we make the following resources and tools available to equip parks and recreation departments, municipalities, urban design and landscape architecture firms, and advocacy organizations to enhance capacity and build equitable, healthy, and engaged communities.

Case Study
Development Fees and Park Equity in Los Angeles
Journal of the American Planning Association
This case study evaluates whether the equity-motivated changes in Los Angeles’ park fees ordinance (known as Quimby) resulted in equity gains.
Case Study
Parks That Protect: Leveraging Waterfronts for Resilient Communities
Urban Land Institute
Explores seven leading-edge waterfront park projects from around the world built to protect adjacent neighborhoods from climate threats.
Report
Greenspace in American Cities: How Access to Parks and Nature Can Improve Health and Well-Being
CityHealth, Beaumont Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, Trust for Public Land
This report highlights disparities in greenspace access and outlines policy solutions that can ensure that all communities have access to public land.
Report
The Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Report
City Parks Alliance
This report highlights the physical, mental, and environmental benefits that city parks provide and demonstrates how funds from the LWCF’s Outdoor Recreation L…
Report
Safety of Women and Girls Consultation Report
London Legacy Development Corporation
This report analyses the outcomes of the consultation and provides recommendations to increase the safety and feeling of safety of women and girls.
Report
What Makes Parks Safe?
Dr. Anna Barker and Professor George Holmes (University of Leeds) with Dr Rizwana Alam, Lauren Cape-Davenhill, Dr Sally Osei-Appiah and Dr. Sibylla Warrington Brown, in collaboration with West Yorkshire Combined Authority
This research report promotes the use of parks by women and girls, by understanding and responding to the barriers to feeling safe.
Report
A Framework for Assessing Equitable Health Outcomes of Parks
Urban Institute
Provides a framework for identifying how park systems improves health outcomes for users and understand how parks address health disparities.
Member Exclusive
Plan
Parks for All
Canadian Parks & Recreation Association
Action Plan For Canada’s Parks Community
Member Exclusive
Plan
Action Planner
Canadian Parks & Recreation Association
Companion to Parks for All
Technical Tool
Community PARKnerships guidelines
Austin Parks and Recreation Department
Austin Parks and Recreation Department Community PARKnerships guide to naming, on-site dedication, and donor recognition of Austin parks.