Sunday, October 24, 2010
Colorado Springs Memorial Skatepark (photo: Peter Furnee)
There are more than 20,000 parks in America’s 85 largest cities, providing residents with playgrounds, flower gardens, sports fields, bike trails, dog parks, river walks and more. According to a report by The Trust for Public Land, the leading cities by category are:
· Park Acres per 1,000 residents: Anchorage, Alaska (1,796.7)
· Basketball Hoops per 10,000 Residents: Madison, Wisconsin (11.0)
· Baseball and Softball Diamonds per 10,000 Residents: Portland, Oregon (5.7)
· Recreation and Senior Centers per 20,000 Residents: Baton Rouge, Louisiana (4.3)
· Swimming Pools per 100,000 Residents: Cleveland, Ohio (9.2)
· Off-Lease Dog Parks per 100,000 Residents: Portland, Oregon (5.7)
· Skateboard Parks per 100,000 Residents: Colorado Springs, Colorado (2.0)
The largest park is Chugach State Park in Anchorage (490,125 acres); the most visited is Central Park in New York City (25 million visitors a year); and the oldest city park is Plaza de la Constitución in St. Augustine, Florida ( established in 1573).
-David Wallechinsky
2010 City Park Facts (Trust for Public Land) (pdf)
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