People want parks!

by crkinane

Today Sustainable Cities Collective posted an article about the increasing demand for city and neighborhood parks due to a comprehensive report released by the Brookings Institution on the same subject.

While the entire article was interesting, I thought this paragraph in particular brought up some interesting points, most we’ve certainly touched on in discussions:

“In addition to creating demand for parks, density also provides opportunities for parks to sustain themselves financially.  Park advocates and philanthropists, many of whom live or work near their parks, support park-friendly policies and contribute funding and volunteer hours. Dense activity also provides a market for fee-based park programs, from concessions to special events to carousels and skating rinks. These program elements in turn contribute to parks’ success, providing community amenities and reasons to travel to and linger in public space.”