Seattle parks among nation's best, report finds
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Gas Works Park is a 19.1-acre public park on the site of the Seattle Gas Light Company's former gas plant, located on the north bank of Lake Union. Photo: Elena Di Vincenzo/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images
Seattle has the eighth-best public park system in the nation, according to the latest rankings from the pro-parks nonprofit Trust for Public Land (TPL), Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick and Kavya Beheraj report.
Why it matters: Cities with the highest ParkScore rankings are healthier places to live as parks confer a wealth of health benefits, like spaces for physical activity and a reprieve from noise and air pollution, TPL says in its latest annual report.
- Residents of the top 25 cities by ParkScore are less likely to report poor mental health or low physical activity, per TPL's latest report.
Driving the news: Cities are awarded a "ParkScore" based on a variety of metrics, including the percentage of residents who live near a park, the share of city land reserved for parks and parks investment, and more.
What they're saying: "We are overjoyed the bounty, beauty, and strong management of Seattle parks is being recognized," Seattle Parks and Recreation superintendent AP Diaz told Axios by email.
Zoom in: This marks Seattle’s third consecutive placement in the top 10.
- Seattle parks earned strong marks for access with 99% of Seattle residents living within a 10-minute walk of a park, far above the national ParkScore city average of 76 percent, according to TPL.
- The city also received above-average scores for park investment with Seattle spending $329 per resident on parks compared to the national ParkScore average of $108.
- TPL said Seattle is among national leaders working to use parks to promote community health. For example, a TPL spokesperson wrote that Seattle’s "Rec’N the Streets" program brings mobile playgrounds into local neighborhoods.
Zoom out: Washington D.C. took top honors with St. Paul and Minneapolis coming in second and third respectively. San Francisco earned seventh place and Portland came in ninth.
The intrigue: Even diminutive "pocket parks" and community gardens confer physical, mental and social benefits, Howard Frumkin, TPL senior vice president and director of the Land and People Lab, told Axios. But Seattle is lucky enough to have dozens created by the Olmsted Brothers landscape architects.
What's next: With newly approved Metropolitan Park District funding, Seattle plans to add 13 new parks, renovate existing ones, create a new community center and expand amenities including pickleball and tennis access, Seattle Parks and Recreation spokesperson Rachel Schulkin told Axios.