Charlotte’s parks are some of the worst in the country according to new study

What’s happening: Charlotte/Mecklenburg ranked 83rd in the report released Wednesday, moving up eight places since last year. 

Between the lines: Parks were also scored on five factors: equity, access, amenities, investment, and acreage.

• Our parks were among the largest, at a median of 22.3 acres, but we received low marks for access.
• Just 37% of our residents live within a 10-minute walk to a park, according to the report.

Why it matters: Access to the outdoors increases quality of life and improves health outcomes. But for decades, government investment in public spaces overlooked low-income neighborhoods and communities of color.

Charlotte has slowly been moving up the rankings but has consistently ranked near the bottom of the list.

• Last year, we came in at 91st, and the year before that, we were 95th.

Charlotte’s parks were rated the worst of the cities the study examined in North Carolina: Durham was 82nd, Winston-Salem 80th, Greensboro 76th and Raleigh 50th.

What they’re saying: Will Klein, a parks researcher with the Trust for Public Land, cited the expansion of greenways and increased investments in parks as part of the reason Charlotte/Mecklenburg fared better this year.

• Still, the area is in the middle of the pack in terms of its spending per capita, at $106 per resident.

Of note: Mecklenburg County says it will release a statement on the rankings today.