Kansas City's park system isn't the best, but it's far from the worst and well above average, per the Trust for Public Land's new rankings.
TPL's annual report ranks the 100 most populous U.S. cities' park systems relative to one another based on five categories: access, acreage, amenities, equity, and investment.
Zoom in: Kansas City, Missouri, ranks No. 27 — with high points for total acreage and equity, but room for improvement in investment and amenities.
72% of KCMO residents live within a 10-minute walk to a park.
💦 Fun fact: The city scored 100 for splashpads. So there's that.
Zoom out: D.C. for the sixth time in a row took home top honors, with high scores for investment and access, and 99% of residents within a 10-minute walk of a park.
What they're saying: Parks are "places of real joy," TPL president and CEO Carrie Besnette Hauser says — adding that they also return $3 in economic benefit for every $1 invested, per new research.
💭 Abbey's thought bubble: Loose Park is the best park. I'll die on this hill. Literally — I almost died on those hills when my dad made me run there as a teen.
💭 Travis' thought bubble: Between hammocking at Berkley, mountain biking at Swope and laking at Longview, you really can get a little of everything.