Denver's public parks among top 20 in the country, new report shows
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Denver ranks 13th among the 100 largest U.S. cities for its public parks — up from No. 18 last year, per the latest report from the Trust for Public Land, an influential pro-parks nonprofit.
Why it matters: Parks confer a wealth of benefits — including, as TPL points out in its latest annual report, being key to our peace of mind, Alex Fitzpatrick and Kavya Beheraj report.
- Residents of the top 25 cities are less likely to report poor mental health or low physical activity.
Zoom in: TPL estimates 92% of Denverites live within a 10-minute walk of one of the city's 325 parks, compared to the 100 largest U.S. cities' average of 76%, giving the city a boost when it comes to measuring accessibility.
By the numbers: On park amenities, Denver saw its highest score (100 points) for its number of splash pads at 2.7 per 100,000 people.
- 🏀 Basketball hoops: 56/100
- 🐕 Dog parks: 71/100
- 🧒 Playgrounds: 59/100
- 🏓 Rec and senior centers: 46/100
- 🧻 Bathrooms: 40/100
The other side: Denver was dinged, however, in the acreage department, which factors the percentage of city area that's dedicated to parks.
- Residents in low-income neighborhoods have access to 26% less park space per person than those in both the average Denver neighborhood and in high-income areas.
Zoom out: Aurora and Colorado Springs were also recognized on the list, ranking 42nd and 51st, respectively.
- Those are notable jumps compared to a year ago, when Aurora placed 33rd and the Springs landed at 58th.
What we're watching: What happens next to the former Park Hill Golf Course, a sprawling 155-acre tract in Northeast Park Hill that voters in November decided to block development on.
- Denver Mayor-elect Mike Johnston initially pushed for the ballot measure to build 1,000-plus homes and commercial buildings on the plot.
- But now he says he wants to broker a deal with private owners Westside Investment Partners and make it a public park.