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-Editorial
A new national report reveals that urban parks are emerging as vital spaces for bridging social divides and strengthening civic engagement across the United States, amid rising political polarization and economic inequality. The findings, released this week by the Trust for Public Land (TPL), were presented during a press briefing hosted by Ethnic Media Services.
According to the report and accompanying poll data, more than half of Americans have interacted with someone from a different social or economic background while visiting a park. Cities with robust park systems also report higher rates of volunteering, greater civic participation, and more effective development of community leadership.
“Parks: The Great Unifiers,” the centerpiece of TPL’s 2025 ParkScore® Index, emphasizes the importance of parks beyond recreation. Will Klein, TPL’s Director of Parks Research, said that parks today are among the “least polarized spaces in America.”
The 2025 ParkScore Index, which ranks the park systems of the 100 largest U.S. cities based on access, investment, amenities, equity, and acreage, named Washington, D.C. as the top city for the fifth consecutive year. Other cities in the top ten include Irvine, CA; Minneapolis, MN; and Denver, CO, a newcomer to the list.
“Eighty percent of Americans, regardless of political affiliation, regularly visit parks,” said Klein. “Nearly two-thirds have met someone new, and half have connected with someone from a different socioeconomic background. That’s the power of parks.”
Since launching the index in 2012, TPL has aimed to spotlight not only where parks are available but also how equitably they serve communities. “We evaluate parks by race and income. Too many Americans still don’t live within walking distance of one,” Klein added.
The findings arrive as park systems nationwide continue to evolve in response to lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, which significantly increased demand for accessible green space. However, challenges remain, with many cities facing budget constraints and uncertain funding.
Several cities are taking innovative approaches to expand and reimagine public green space. In Fort Worth, Texas, a mayoral initiative called “Good Natured Green Space” has dramatically improved the city’s park ranking. In Colorado Springs and Chicago, parks have become community anchors and sites for civic engagement.
Atlanta has emerged as a model of transformation. Through the Atlanta Schoolyards Project—a joint effort between the city, Atlanta Public Schools, and nonprofit partners like the Trust for Public Land and Kaboom—schoolyards have been converted into publicly accessible parks during non-school hours.
“This isn’t just about saving money; it’s about building community,” said Justin Cutler, Atlanta’s Parks & Recreation Commissioner. “When people see the space as theirs, they take care of it.”
The project resulted in a historic Joint Use Agreement in 2024 and has already improved Atlanta’s 10-minute park access rate, rising from 79% to over 82% in a single year. The city’s ParkScore ranking also rose from 25th to 21st nationwide.
Meanwhile, Atlanta’s BeltLine project—an ambitious linear park initiative—is transforming disused rail corridors into trails, parks, and affordable housing. It is slated to be 85% complete by 2026, coinciding with the city’s hosting of the FIFA World Cup.
“We’re not just building parks; we’re building equity,” Cutler said. “Green space can support everything from stormwater solutions to job training and tax abatements.”
While some cities are climbing in the rankings, others are slipping. Los Angeles, once among the top 50, has dropped to 90th in the 2024 ParkScore rankings—a decline attributed to aging infrastructure, stagnant funding, and inequitable park distribution.
Guillermo Rodriguez, California State Director and Vice President of the Pacific Region for TPL pointed to a lack of long-term planning. “The city’s last Parks Master Plan was in 1973. Other cities update theirs every 5 to 10 years,” he said.
Over 1.5 million Angelenos, including 28 million children nationwide, lack access to a park within walking distance, a situation that disproportionately affects low-income and minority communities.
However, renewed momentum is building in Los Angeles. The city has launched a new Park Needs Assessment to guide future investment, with community leaders like Yvette Lopez-Ledesma at the forefront.
“Parks are not just recreational—they are lifelines,” said Lopez-Ledesma, who serves on the city’s Park Needs Assessment Steering Committee. “They provide access to food, childcare, emergency services, and more.”
Lopez-Ledesma emphasized the urgent need to prioritize parks as civic infrastructure, citing a 10-year life expectancy gap between Beverly Hills and underserved areas like South LA. “This is about quality of life,” she said. “People deserve access to the resources they’re helping fund.”
Rodriguez echoed the call for solutions, including joint-use agreements with schools and dedicated local funding measures similar to those adopted in Seattle.
“With real engagement and equity-focused planning, Los Angeles can once again be a national leader in parks,” he said.