A Walk to a Park: 10 Minutes or Less Show of hands if you live within a 10 minute walk to a park? If you live within a 10 minute walk to a park, but you wouldn’t necessarily go to that park, you often choose to travel farther to a different one? How many of you don’t know? Ali Hiple March 24th, 2018 Massachusetts Land Conservation Conference

ParkServe Website demo

How are communities using ParkServe? Plan for a proposed park Demographic information on an existing park

Nationwide ParkServe Stats 13,931 places across the country More than 80% of the US population Over 80% of low income households in the US Over 90% of people of color in the US Other data notes: Esri’s Streetmap, boundary data from US Census, access points are auto-generated, based on US census defined urban areas – ALL urban areas in US (so communities of all sizes are within those urban areas)

Massachusetts in ParkServe 234 places total 209 already mapped 25 more to be added in the Spring 4,693,768 MA residents will be mapped Or 69% of MA total pop

10 Minute Walk – mayoral campaign Close to 200 mayors nationwide In Massachusetts: Boston, Brockton, New Bedford

Why are parks important? Cities continue to grow in population and density Boston Parks provide benefits to physical and mental health Serve as community gathering places Healthier, more enjoyable cities Boston 17% growth since 1999 (roughly 15% 2000-2017) - Fastest in Northeast

Why a 10 minute walk? About ½ mile is an easy walk Health Benefits even if you aren’t using the park! Access for all Walkability = livability Parks can help. Studies show that the more parks there are in a community, the more people exercise. People who live closer to parks exercise more, and people who regularly use parks get more exercise than people who don’t. Perhaps most surprising? People who live closer to parks report better mental health—even if they don’t actually exercise there.

10 MW surrounding Boston Boston 98%, Somerville 100%, Cambridge 98%, Brookline 97% Newton 85%, Belmont 87%

Pressures on Mass/Boston Climate change threats Flooding Heat waves Increasing density

Gateway Cities 15% of MA population Park access: 9% - Westfield 100% - Everett 74% - median access Parks and walkability as key components of making a place livable and desirable MassINC “While Gateway Cities face stubborn social and economic challenges as a result, they retain many assets with unrealized potential. These include existing infrastructure and strong connections to transportation networks, museums, hospitals, universities and other major institutions, disproportionately young and underutilized workers, and perhaps above all, authentic urban fabric. Changing social and economic forces open up new opportunities for Gateway Cities to leverage these untapped assets. Demand for walkable neighborhoods is rising and the small entrepreneurial businesses that fuel job creation in today’s economy are increasingly seeking out urban innovative environments. These trends position Gateway Cities to once again serve as engines driving growth in regional economies across the Commonwealth.”

Gateway Cities “While Gateway Cities face stubborn social and economic challenges as a result, they retain many assets with unrealized potential. These include existing infrastructure and strong connections to transportation networks, museums, hospitals, universities and other major institutions, disproportionately young and underutilized workers, and perhaps above all, authentic urban fabric.Changing social and economic forces open up new opportunities for Gateway Cities to leverage these untapped assets. Demand for walkable neighborhoods is rising and the small entrepreneurial businesses that fuel job creation in today’s economy are increasingly seeking out urban innovative environments. These trends position Gateway Cities to once again serve as engines driving growth in regional economies across the Commonwealth.” -- MassINC Parks and open spaces in Gateway Cities like Worcester, face deeper challenges that make Boston look flush, however. In Fiscal Year 2017, Worcester spent $51 per resident (half of Boston’s spending level.) while only 77% of residents are within a 10-minute walk of a park or open space and enjoy only 0.007 acres per resident. In Brockton in Fiscal Year 2015, the City spent $14 per resident while only 69% of residents are within a 10-minute walk of a park or open space and enjoy only 0.009 acres per resident. -26 of them: Haverhill – 53% Methuen – 50% Lawrence – 92% Lowell – 91% Peabody – 56% Salem – 82% Pittsfield – n.a. Holyoke – 72% Springfield – 94% Westfield – 9% Chicopee – 57% Fitchburg – 70% Leominster – 29% Worcester – 74% Malden – 94% Everett – 100% Lynn – 96% Revere – 93% Chelsea – 98% Quincy – 93% Brockton – 68% Attleboro – 48% Taunton – 41% Fall River – 74% New Bedford – 77% Barnstable - 13%

Everyone deserves access to great parks www.parkserve.org www.10minutewalk.org

Thank you! Alexandra (Ali) Hiple Alexandra.Hiple@tpl.org Questions? Comments? Alexandra (Ali) Hiple Alexandra.Hiple@tpl.org (617) 371-0550