Parks

Woman sitting on grass with building in background, looking at her smart watch

Using Technology to Advance Park Planning

A variety of new tools can help with community engagement and data collection and analysis for park planning projects.

November 6, 2022 - National Recreation and Park Association Open Space Blog

Trail through forested area in Virginia

Virginia Office of Trails Allocated $89 Million

The newly formed agency is tasked with developing and improving trail networks in the state.

October 28, 2022 - The Virginia Mercury

Playground with yellow slides in Rimgrove Park, Los Angeles County

Serving Communities and Advancing Equity Through Parks

Parks are not just for fun and games. They are also centers of community, offering shelter, food, and employment for the most vulnerable.

September 19, 2022 - Fast Company

Rolling green hills in San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles

New Parks Needs Assessment Standards in L.A. County

The report contains data and analyses in support of expanding land conservation and restoration, transit to parks, and other strategies to meet regional and rural needs in Los Angeles County.

September 19, 2022 - National Recreation and Park Association Open Space Blog

Los Angeles City Hall

Los Angeles County Launches New Power of Play Initiative

The L.A. County Department of Parks and Recreation and the L.A. County Parks Foundation are partnering on an initiative to build awareness, support and a safety net to provide vulnerable youth and families access to high-quality programming.

August 8, 2022 - SCV News

Rendering of kayakers on river and people sitting on riverbank in new park

‘Climate-Adaptive’ Park Planned for Ohio River Shoreline

The project aims to slow erosion along the riverbank and restore the formerly industrial area to a more natural state.

July 24, 2022 - Governing

People walking on a concrete pathway at Presidio Tunnel Tops with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background

Presidio Tunnel Tops Links San Francisco Parks Above Seven Lanes of Traffic

Encompassing 14 acres, the project spans a major parkway and includes a two-acre children’s play area, trails, several overlooks, and gathering spaces from picnic areas to a campfire circle.

July 18, 2022 - CNN

Welcome sign for Rock Creek Park, Washington. D.C.

National Park Service Weighs Changes to D.C.’s Beach Drive

The scenic road has been closed to car traffic during the pandemic, but the park service could begin allowing through traffic nine months of the year.

July 13, 2022 - DCist

Empty Parking Lot

Depave Paradise: Reclaiming Parking Lots for Park Space

The promoters of a new park hope to provide a model for how replacing surface parking lots with green space can mitigate urban heat and boost urban biodiversity.

June 7, 2022 - Greater Greater Washington

Green roof in Rotterdam, The Netherlands

How Rotterdam’s Green Rooftops Fight Urban Heat

An elevated park in Rotterdam shows how green roofs can cool cities and create public parks in tight quarters.

June 5, 2022 - Surface Magazine

View of fountain and buildings in Fair Park, Dallas

New Park Coming to Historic Dallas Fairgrounds

A 20-year plan to revitalize a historic Dallas fairground will bring much-needed new green space and multi-use venues to Fair Park.

June 1, 2022 - Diana Ionescu

Hopscotch squares on concrete schoolyard with basketball hoop in background

The Social and Economic Benefits of Green Schoolyards

New research suggests that switching from asphalt to green, park-like schoolyards brings economic benefits in addition to public health improvements.

May 26, 2022 - Trust for Public Land

Rittenhouse Square, a park in Philadelphia, framed by large buildings.

Parks as a Weapon Against Climate Change

The 2022 ParkScore finds that cities are increasingly employing green space as a tool for mitigating heat and extreme weather effects, but the distribution of parks remains inequitable.

May 16, 2022 - Trust for Public Land

Detroit Public Transit

Michigan Bill To Inject Nearly $5 Billion in Infrastructure, Housing

A bill signed by the state's governor, Gretchen Whitmer, allocates billions in federal and state funding to water quality, roads and dams, broadband, and other infrastructure projects.

April 1, 2022 - Detroit Free Press

Low-saturation image of a concrete schoolyard with basketball hoop

'Greening' L.A.'s Schoolyards

Advocates for increasing green space on school campuses say giving students a more healthy outdoor environment can also reduce the urban heat island effect and improve public health in historically underserved communities.

March 29, 2022 - Los Angeles Times

Domino Park

Reimagining Public Space in the Post-COVID Era

The pandemic forced a large-scale reexamination of how public spaces and urban form impact public health and equity. Now, policymakers can learn from those innovations to plan for the future of cities.

March 16, 2022 - Next City

View of lake at Earvin "Magic" Johnson Park

Magic Johnson Park to Reopen in February

A much-needed park in South Los Angeles will reopen to the public after undergoing major renovations.

February 1, 2022 - MIG

Rendering of the proposed Farm Hub at The Great Park, Ontario

Massive New Park Coming to the Inland Empire

A 3.5-mile long greenway will bring trails, recreational facilities, and open space to Ontario, in San Bernardino County, California.

January 11, 2022 - Inland Valley Daily Bulletin

A view of the Pacific Ocean and California coastline from high in the Santa Monica Mountains.

Santa Monica Mountains Acquires More Land For Conservation

The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority has acquired the final 150 acres of the 325-acre Triangle Ranch open space in the Santa Monica Mountains.

December 6, 2021 - The Acorn

Water Works at Mill Ruins Park

New Minneapolis Park Connects City to the Mississippi River

The newly built Water Works Park and Pavilion incorporates elements of historic mills and provides amenities long absent from the city's waterfront.

November 24, 2021 - The Architect's Newspaper

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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.