National study claims Jacksonville's parks need help
According to the Trust for Public Land, the City of Jacksonville needs significant improvement in providing park access to its residents. Here's a look at the Trust for Public Land's annual ParkScore ranking of the park systems in America's 50 largest cities.
The Trust for Public Land ParkScore index analyzes public access to existing parks and open space. The analysis incorporates a two-step approach: 1) determines where there are gaps in park availability across the landscape, and 2) constructs a demographic profile to identify gaps with the most urgent need for parkland. Park gaps are based on a dynamic 1/2 mile service area (10 minute walking distance) for all parks. In this analysis, service areas use the street network to determine walkable distance - streets such as highways, freeways, and interstates are not considered viable means of walkable travel and therefore are considered to be barriers across the landscape.
Demographic profiles are based on 2010 Census block groups to determine park need for percentage of population age 19 and younger, percentage of households with income less than 75% of city median income (Jacksonville less than $35,000), and population density (people per acre). Each profile uses the city average for that profile as the baseline for determining high and very high level of need as shown in the three inset maps. High need falls below the baseline, while very high need falls above the baseline. The combined level of park need result shown on the large map takes the three demographic profile results and assigns the following weights:
50% = population density (people per acre)
25% = percentage of population age 19 and younger
25% = percentage of households with income less than $35,000
Areas in dark red show a very high need for parks while areas in orange show a high need for parks.
Jacksonville's Urban Core
NEXT PAGE: PARKSCORE RANKING OF 50 LARGEST CITIES
PARKSCORE RANKING OF 50 LARGEST CITIES
Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park
Ranking -- ParkScore -- City name
1. 81.0 Minneapolis
2. 73.5 New York
3. 72.5 Sacramento
3. 72.5 San Francisco
3. 72.5 Boston
6. 71.5 Washington
7. 71.0 Portland
8. 70.0 Virginia Beach
9. 68.5 San Diego
10. 66.5 Seattle
11. 63.5 San Jose
11. 63.5 Albuquerque
11. 63.5 Omaha
14. 63.5 Philadelphia
14. 62.5 Colorado Springs
16. 61.0 Chicago
17. 60.0 Denver
18. 59.0 Oakland
19. 57.5 Milwaukee
20. 55.0 Raleigh
21. 53.5 Baltimore
22. 52.5 Long Beach
23. 51.5 Kansas City
23. 51.5 Phoenix
25. 50.0 Cleveland
26. 48.5 Dallas
26. 48.5 Austin
26. 48.5 Detroit
29. 47.5 Las Vegas
30. 46.0 Arlington
31. 45.0 Tulsa
31. 45.0 Atlanta
33. 44.0 Fort Worth
34. 42.5 Wichita
34. 42.5 Los Angeles
36. 41.5 El Paso
37. 40.0 Columbus
38. 39.0 Houston
38. 39.0 Tucson
38. 39.0 Miami
38. 39.0 Nashville
42. 37.5 Memphis
43. 35.0 Oklahoma City
44. 33.5 Jacksonville
44. 33.5 San Antonio
46. 32.5 Mesa
47. 30.0 Charlotte
47. 30.0 Indianapolis
49. 29.0 Louisville
50. 27.5 Fresno
Methodology Overview
Confederate Park
Cities can earn a maximum ParkScore of 100.
For easy comparison and at-a-glance assessment, each city is also given a rating of zero to five park benches. One bench means the park system needs major improvement, while five benches means the park system is outstanding.
In evaluating park systems, experts at The Trust for Public Land considered land owned by regional, state, and federal agencies within the 50 largest U.S. cities—including school playgrounds open to the public and greenways that function as parks.
Their analysis is based on the three most important characteristics of an effective park system: acreage, services and investment, and access.
Jacksonville-Minneapolis Comparison
Find your community with ParkScore's interactive map: https://parkscore.tpl.org/TPLBeta_ParkScore/map.php
Source: https://parkscore.tpl.org/TPLBeta_ParkScore/rankings.php
Article by Ennis Davis, AICP. Contact Ennis at edavis@moderncities.com
Demographic profiles are based on 2010 Census block groups to determine park need for percentage of population age 19 and younger, percentage of households with income less than 75% of city median income (Jacksonville less than $35,000), and population density (people per acre). Each profile uses the city average for that profile as the baseline for determining high and very high level of need as shown in the three inset maps. High need falls below the baseline, while very high need falls above the baseline. The combined level of park need result shown on the large map takes the three demographic profile results and assigns the following weights:
50% = population density (people per acre)
25% = percentage of population age 19 and younger
25% = percentage of households with income less than $35,000
Areas in dark red show a very high need for parks while areas in orange show a high need for parks.
Jacksonville's Urban Core
NEXT PAGE: PARKSCORE RANKING OF 50 LARGEST CITIES
PARKSCORE RANKING OF 50 LARGEST CITIES
Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park
Ranking -- ParkScore -- City name
1. 81.0 Minneapolis
2. 73.5 New York
3. 72.5 Sacramento
3. 72.5 San Francisco
3. 72.5 Boston
6. 71.5 Washington
7. 71.0 Portland
8. 70.0 Virginia Beach
9. 68.5 San Diego
10. 66.5 Seattle
11. 63.5 San Jose
11. 63.5 Albuquerque
11. 63.5 Omaha
14. 63.5 Philadelphia
14. 62.5 Colorado Springs
16. 61.0 Chicago
17. 60.0 Denver
18. 59.0 Oakland
19. 57.5 Milwaukee
20. 55.0 Raleigh
21. 53.5 Baltimore
22. 52.5 Long Beach
23. 51.5 Kansas City
23. 51.5 Phoenix
25. 50.0 Cleveland
26. 48.5 Dallas
26. 48.5 Austin
26. 48.5 Detroit
29. 47.5 Las Vegas
30. 46.0 Arlington
31. 45.0 Tulsa
31. 45.0 Atlanta
33. 44.0 Fort Worth
34. 42.5 Wichita
34. 42.5 Los Angeles
36. 41.5 El Paso
37. 40.0 Columbus
38. 39.0 Houston
38. 39.0 Tucson
38. 39.0 Miami
38. 39.0 Nashville
42. 37.5 Memphis
43. 35.0 Oklahoma City
44. 33.5 Jacksonville
44. 33.5 San Antonio
46. 32.5 Mesa
47. 30.0 Charlotte
47. 30.0 Indianapolis
49. 29.0 Louisville
50. 27.5 Fresno
Methodology Overview
Confederate Park
Cities can earn a maximum ParkScore of 100.
For easy comparison and at-a-glance assessment, each city is also given a rating of zero to five park benches. One bench means the park system needs major improvement, while five benches means the park system is outstanding.
In evaluating park systems, experts at The Trust for Public Land considered land owned by regional, state, and federal agencies within the 50 largest U.S. cities—including school playgrounds open to the public and greenways that function as parks.
Their analysis is based on the three most important characteristics of an effective park system: acreage, services and investment, and access.
Jacksonville-Minneapolis Comparison
Find your community with ParkScore's interactive map: https://parkscore.tpl.org/TPLBeta_ParkScore/map.php
Source: https://parkscore.tpl.org/TPLBeta_ParkScore/rankings.php
Article by Ennis Davis, AICP. Contact Ennis at edavis@moderncities.com