Portland's parks are ranked 9th in the nation
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Portland parks are the ninth best in the nation according to a new survey. Photo: Greg Vaughn/Getty Images
From trail-packed Forest Park to neighborhood pocket squares, Portland's parks system is among the country's best, compared to other major cities, new data shows.
Why it matters: Green spaces are good for body and mind, and hold "tremendous potential for repairing our frayed social fabric," nonprofit Trust for Public Land (TPL) wrote in its 2024 report.
Driving the news: Among TPL's annual parks rating Portland was ranked No. 9 among the 100 most populous cities in the country, the same as last year.
- Washington, D.C., was No. 1, Seattle was No. 6 and San Francisco was No. 7.
By the numbers: Portland, which has 154 developed parks and more than 14,000 acres of recreational and open space, scored 74 out of a possible 100 on TPL's annual ranking.
- The score takes into account the percentage of residents living within a 10-minute walk to a park — in Portland, that's 91% — access in communities of color, acreage, amenities and the city's financial investment in parks.
The big picture: In Portland, the Parks & Recreation Bureau spends about $233 per resident on parks, compared to the national average of $124, according to the report.
- But the city's parks scored a moderate 56 for equity. While about 90% of people of color and low-income people live within a 10-minute walk of a park, the report found they have about 60% less park space than white people.
What they're saying: Portland's parks are about more than pretty plants and views. Parks spokesperson Mark Ross told Axios the city is excited to increase access and make "amazing programming possible."
What to watch: Berrydale Park, at SE 92nd Avenue and Salmon Street, will get a renovated playground and new skatepark, accessible park pathways, tables, lighting, furnishings and new landscaping by fall 2025, under a levy voters passed in 2020.
- And starting June 24 at 20 parks citywide is the summertime program of free outdoor movies on inflatable screens, concerts (including Sheila E) and the Free Lunch + Play.