By Bianca Clarke, Trust for Public Land
Parks are Smart City Strategy
Parks play an essential role in addressing some of the most pressing issues facing our communities today. When thoughtfully designed, built and activated, parks improve public health, foster social connections, protect cities from heat and floods , and boost local economies.
Investing in parks is a strategic way to deliver on your commitments to residents’ wellbeing, health, and social connectedness, and to environmental resilience and economic vitality. From central parks and downtown plazas to neighborhood greenways and sidewalk seating, investments of all types build stronger communities, now and for generations to come.
At Trust for Public Land, we work alongside city leaders to unlock the full potential of parks. To date, over 300 mayors have made the 10-Minute Walk Commitment. We understand the challenges city leaders face: limited budgets, competing land uses, and capacity constraints. We’re here to help you find practical solutions, so parks are not seen as a tradeoff, but as tools to help you address the issues that matter most.
You have an opportunity to drive meaningful change that brings access to the outdoors to everyone. Here’s why—and how—you can make parks a pillar of your city’s future.
Parks are Health Infrastructure
Rising rates of chronic disease, mental health challenges, and social isolation are straining residents—and city budgets. Parks can help. Research shows that people are more active when they have access to high-quality parks, and just 20 minutes in nature can lower stress hormones. Parks also foster connections and address loneliness. In fact, residents in cities with the strongest park systems were found to be Read more about The Power of Parks to Promote Health.
In Aurora, Colorado, a regional partnership is connecting youth to the outdoors through a state program called Generation Wild. The initiative offers young people, many from low-income and refugee communities, free access to nature through activities like kayaking, fishing, and biking. By removing barriers such as transportation and equipment costs, the program helps increase physical activity, reduce stress, support mental health, and foster connection among participants who may otherwise feel isolated.
Parks Bridge Social Divides and Build Community Trust
In a time of rising polarization, parks offer something rare: a shared space for everyone. They are inherent mixing grounds, bringing together people of different backgrounds. Investing in parks creates spaces that reflect a community’s unique identity and history, while fostering belonging, civic pride, and even local leadership. A number of studies have found that access to green space promotes community relationships, as reflected by stronger social ties, place attachment, greater social cohesion, and improved rates of community trust in local government. Parks bridge divides and strengthen social ties across backgrounds, building trust and resilience citywide. Read more about The Power of Parks to Strengthen Community.
In Chattanooga, a new model of community engagement is taking root with the Park Listeners program. Multilingual residents, trained in facilitation and paid for their expertise, are helping shape the city’s Parks & Outdoors Plan by gathering insights from neighbors across the city. This grassroots approach is transforming how Chattanooga plans for its public spaces—elevating resident voices, building trust, and fostering a sense of shared ownership.
Parks are Frontline Environmental Infrastructure
As extreme heat, flooding, and other climate threats intensify, cities need natural infrastructure solutions. Parks and green spaces help communities adapt and thrive.
Urban parks cool neighborhoods, mitigate urban heat islands, and manage stormwater naturally—reducing flood risks and protecting critical infrastructure. Areas within a 10-minute walk of a park can be as much as 6 degrees cooler than neighborhoods outside that range, while green spaces absorb stormwater at a fraction of the cost of gray infrastructure. Read more about The Power of Parks to Address Climate Change.
In Atlanta’s historic Vine City neighborhood, Rodney Cook Sr. Park exemplifies how green infrastructure can bolster environmental resilience. Developed through a partnership between the Trust for Public Land and the city, this 16-acre park features a stormwater system capable of capturing and filtering up to 10 million gallons of runoff. Beyond flood mitigation, the park offers shaded trails, wetlands, and recreational spaces, transforming a once flood-prone area into a vibrant community asset that addresses extreme weather challenges while honoring local heritage.
Parks Drive Economic Growth
Parks aren’t just good for quality of life—they’re good for local economies. High-quality parks attract a diverse, skilled workforce and new, growing businesses. For cities seeking to revitalize downtowns or attract new talent, parks are a proven catalyst: Every $1 invested in park and trail infrastructure generates $4-$10 in economic return. Read more about Park Investment and Economic Vitality, and check out our Investment Toolkit.
Leaders in Boise, Idaho, have made parks central to the city’s economic development strategy. Investments in the Greenbelt and foothills trail system have helped attract talent and companies. In interviews conducted for a recent Trust for Public Land report, members of Boise’s real estate and business community repeatedly emphasized that convenient access to nature and slower-paced urban lifestyle in Boise help make the city competitive with larger cities.
How You Can Take Action
Our public realm reflects our shared values, provides opportunity to celebrate history and culture, and ultimately reflects our care for communities and one another. Considering the many benefits parks bring to communities, you can look to them as part of the solution to create stronger communities. Here’s what you can do:
- Champion Parks as Essential Infrastructure
Parks belong at the table with health, housing, transportation, and economic development. Set a bold vision for parks in your administration and prioritize them in planning and capital improvement strategies. - Leverage Parks for Economic Growth
Work with developers, chambers of commerce, and tourism boards to position parks as economic engines. Explore tools like park dedication ordinances, impact fees, and public-private partnerships to sustain investments. - Secure Sustainable Funding
Parks can’t thrive without stable, long-term funding. Consider park bonds, sales tax measures, and creative financing strategies to build a robust park system for future generations. - Convene Cross-Sector and Community Collaborators
Bring together agencies, nonprofits, community groups, businesses, and local foundations to work together towards a shared parks strategy. When everyone sees themselves in your city’s parks, they become champions for their success.
Learn how Trust for Public Land can help your city take the next step.
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Bianca Clarke is Trust for Public Land’s Parks Initiative Lead and Associate VP of the 10-Minute Walk® program. With 13 years of experience at TPL, she holds a Master of Planning from USC and a BS from UCLA. She is also published in leading journals on urban planning and health.