By Trust for Public Land
Published February 25, 2016
What can you get done in 10 minutes? Maybe a few quick chores, like folding the laundry or tidying up in the garage. You could read a chapter of that book you’ve been meaning to finish or—let’s be honest—get to the bottom of your Facebook feed.
But what The Trust for Public Land wants to know is: could you walk to the park?
The best-case scenario: green space right out the front door.Photo Credit:Tegra Stone Nuess
Even if you love getting outside, you knowthere’s a big difference between a park downthe street and one across town. If a trip to the park means waiting for the bus—orpackingthefamily into thecar and sitting in traffic—all those other optionsstarttosoundmore appealing. But havinggreen space in the neighborhood opens uppossibilities: aquick jog before work, a picnic lunch break, or even sending older kids out to play on their own after school.
For parkplanners, that convenience factor matters. Easy access to green space contributes to thequality of life that’s key to cities attracting and keepingresidents and businesses. Plus, it’sa public health issue:research has shown that people who regularly use parks get more and betterexercise than people who don’t.A park close by can improve thewell-being of everyone from achildmanaging ADHDtoa seniorrecovering from hipsurgery.
We think every kid should have a park just a hop, skip, and a jump away.Photo credit:Jenna Stamm
Sohow close is close enough? Most largecities—70 of the biggest 100,by our last count—set a standardby distance; of those, 61percent define“close” as within a half-mile. In our experience building parks around the country, we’ve foundthat makessense—so long as we’re talking ahalf-mile on public roads and pathways. (Agreat park a hundred yards away doesn’t do you much good if those hundred yardscross private property or a busy freeway.)
Though walking speeds vary, the Department of Transportation agrees thatmost people can walk a half-mile in about 10 minutes. At The Trust for Public Land, we believe everyone should be able to reach a park in that amount of time—no matter what kind of neighborhoodyou live in. That’s why we’re helping cities prioritize creating and improvingparks in the places that need them most.
If you’re curious to see how well your city meets the 10-minute mark, check out The Trust for Public Land’s ParkScore® index.
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