Detroit's parks rating rises in annual ranking
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Community groups and city officials celebrated $1.5 million in renovations at Balduck Park in March 2024. Photo: Courtesy of the City of Detroit via Flickr
Detroit's parks system climbed in a national ranking this year, but greater investment in our green spaces and better amenities are needed to compete with higher-ranking cities.
Why it matters: Detroit has more than 300 parks that serve as community meetup spots, offer space for exercise, and can attract new residents. The city is investing more into its parks now, but there's still work to do.
Driving the news: We're No. 58 on the Trust for Public Land's 2025 ParkScore index of park systems in the 100 most populous cities in the country, up from No. 65 last year.
- The ranking is based on five categories: acreage, access, amenities, investment and equity.
- The analysis includes data from public and private organizations that manage or support publicly accessible parks.
Zoom in: Detroit received high marks this year for park access, with 84% of Detroiters living within a 10-minute walk of a park.
- The parks scored well for amenities like basketball courts and sports fields, but a dearth of permanent restrooms and dog parks hurt the ranking.
- Per person, $118 was spent on the city's parks system — more than last year's $80 average but below the national average of $133.
Zoom out: Washington, D.C., had the country's best park system this year, followed by Irvine, California.
What they're saying: Detroit's parks have improved significantly in recent years, Sigal Hemy Spiegel, executive director of the Detroit Parks Coalition, tells Axios.
- "If you go out on a summer day to any of our regional parks, they're slammed with people. It's awesome," Spiegel says.
- Context: The city has 14 regional parks of at least 50 acres, including Belle Isle, Balduck and Palmer parks.
Yes, but: Spiegel says the city's parks could improve with more regular trash pickups at all 300-plus parks. She also suggested starting regular park maintenance well before Memorial Day because many people use the parks in April.
- The coalition partners with the city, philanthropic organizations and community groups to support the city's parks.
Flashback: Detroit's ParkScore ranked 88th in 2018.
- The city contemplated closing 77 parks in 2010 when it was on a path to bankruptcy.
Between the lines: Detroit's sheer size — nearly 140 square miles — hinders its acreage score, which measures the percentage of the city's overall area that's dedicated to parkland.
- Detroit received only 19 out of 100 possible acreage points, but Spiegel says it's a flawed metric due to Detroit's large geographic area and relatively low population density.
What's next: The city's parkland will increase by more than 20 acres this fall when the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy opens the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Centennial Park.