Where KCMO's park system ranks among big cities
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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.
Go deeper: An inclusive playground will be built over I-670 downtown