Plano's parks rank 13th in new national ranking
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Plano has the 13th best park system in the country, per a Trust for Public Land ranking.
Why it matters: City parks serve as community meeting spots and civic spaces, offer room for exercise and fresh air, and can draw in new residents ā but they require investment, attention and protection.
- Parks return $3 in economic benefit for every $1 invested, says TPL president and CEO Carrie Besnette Hauser.
Context: TPL, a pro-park nonprofit, ranks the 100 most populous U.S. cities' park systems relative to one another based on five categories: access, acreage, amenities, equity, and investment.
The big picture: Washington, D.C., has had the country's best city park system for several years running, per the ranking.
- Plano is the only North Texas city in this year's top 25, followed by Frisco at No. 30 and Dallas at No. 38.
Zoom in: Irving rose 28 spots in the ranking from last year, claiming No. 71 on the list.
- Frisco and Austin moved up 7 spots from last year's ranking.
- New parks and big investments, plus agreements letting people use school playgrounds and ballfields after hours and on weekends may account for Texas' gains, per TPL.
What we're watching: Frisco is planning a park larger than Central Park and Dallas has opened another deck park. Plano also has several parks in the works.
āļø Where is your favorite park in North Texas? Hit reply to this email and let us know. Bonus points for sharing an original photo.