Ashburn, Virginia, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Everyone deserves a quality park within a 10-minute walk from home. One in 3 individuals currently do not have access, and, together with our partners, we’ve launched the 10-Minute Walk campaign to change that. As part of the 10-Minute Walk campaign, the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), along with The Trust for Public Land (TPL) and the Urban Land Institute (ULI), has selected 12 cities nationwide to receive grant funding totaling $480,000. The grant funding will be used to support city planning efforts that help increase access to high-quality parks within a 10-minute walk. All 12 cities selected and their respective mayors are participants in the 10-Minute Walk campaign and include:
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While each city has committed to the broad vision that everyone deserves a quality park within a 10-minute walk, each city’s approach to working toward the 10-minute walk goal is different. For example, cities that have less than 60 percent of people within a 10-minute walk of a park are focusing their efforts on connectivity to parks through improved pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure. Cities that are much closer to the 10-minute walk goal are focusing their efforts on ensuring their existing parks are quality places to be — safe, accessible to all, welcoming, engaging, and responding to the diverse and evolving needs of the community. The grant funding provided by NRPA will help strengthen these efforts and provide access to a variety of tools and resources, including TPL’s Park Serve® and Parkology, and ULI’s Advisory Services.
“At NRPA, we believe everyone deserves a great park,” said Barbara Tulipane, NRPA president and CEO. “That’s why we’re proud to help lead this effort — providing cities with the tools and resources necessary to make the 10-minute walk goal a reality.”
“Parks are where we connect with nature and each other, and everyone deserves a quality park within a 10-minute walk from home,” said Diane Regas, president and CEO of The Trust for Public Land. “I’m proud to partner with the National Recreation and Park Association and the Urban Land Institute to help cities achieve the 10-minute walk vision.”
“ULI is excited to support NRPA’s grantees with their 10-Minute Walk Campaign goals and commitments,” said Rachel McCleery, ULI senior vice president, content. “ULI will leverage our member networks to support this important work in cities across the country.”
Launched in 2017, the 10-Minute Walk campaign establishes the ambitious goal that everyone in the United States should live within a 10-minute walk (or half-mile) of a high-quality park or green space. A bipartisan group of nearly 200 mayors have joined this effort, which will require major advances in park finance and construction; zoning changes to encourage park development; embedding this goal into city park’s master plans; the expansion of “joint use” agreements that open school playgrounds, tracks, and gyms for public use after hours and on weekends; and other innovations.
Studies show that high-quality parks provide a wide range of benefits to urban residents and cities themselves. These include physical and mental health benefits, by providing opportunities to be physically active and to interact with nature; economic benefits by boosting business and helping to revitalize neighborhoods; community-building benefits by providing opportunities for neighbors to interact with each other and work together to improve their surroundings; and environmental benefits by cleaning and cooling the air, improving climate resilience, and providing opportunities for environmental education.
Major funding for the 10-Minute Walk campaign is provided by The JPB Foundation.
To learn more about the 10-Minute Walk campaign, visit www.10minutewalk.org.
To learn more about NRPA, visit www.nrpa.org.
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About the National Recreation and Park Association
The National Recreation and Park Association is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that all Americans have access to parks and recreation for health, conservation and social equity. Through its network of 60,000 recreation and park professionals and advocates, NRPA encourages the promotion of healthy and active lifestyles, conservation initiatives and equitable access to parks and public space. For more information, visit www.nrpa.org. For digital access to NRPA’s flagship publication, Parks & Recreation, visit www.parksandrecreation.org.
About The Trust for Public Land
The Trust for Public Land creates parks and protects land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come. Millions of people live near a Trust for Public Land park, garden, or natural area, and millions more visit these sites every year. To support The Trust for Public Land and share why nature matters to you, visit www.tpl.org.
About the Urban Land Institute
The Urban Land Institute is a global, member-driven real estate organization whose mission is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. Established in 1936, the institute has more than 40,000 members worldwide representing all aspects of land use and development disciplines. For more information, please visit uli.org or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.