Does Charlotte Need More Parks? (Raleigh, Greensboro: crime, neighborhood, live)

[brichard]

Does Charlotte need more parks? The reason I bring this up is because I have lived in cities with an abundance of park space, and I have seen how it brings people and communities together, and enables them to have easy access to recreational areas without having to get in the car and drive long distances for outdoor activities.

I found this website -- http://cloud.tpl.org/pubs/ccpe_Acrea..._Data_2010.pdf -- that puts cities in four different categories of population density (low, intermediate-low, intermediate-high, and high), then within those categories has to different rankings. One ranking is for park acres as a percentage of total land area in the city. The other is for park acres per 1000 residents.

Charlotte is in the low-density city classification, and within that classification is ranked 14th out of 26 cities for park acres as a percentage of total land area in the city (5.7%). And for the other measure -- park acres per 1000 residents -- it is ranked 13th out of 26 cities. So within the low-density city classification, it is about average.

I decided to take these statistics an extra step and combine all the cities, regardless of population density classification. There are 82 cities total. For the measure of park acres per total acres in the city, Charlotte is ranked #58 out of 85 cities, so towards the low end. Raleigh, incidentally, is ranked #11, so fares much better than Charlotte. And Atlanta, the city Charlotte is most often compared to, does worse than Charlotte, landing at #67.

On the second measure -- park acres per 1000 residents -- Charlotte comes in at 25th out of 85 cities, which is not bad. But Raleigh is #12, and Atlanta is #65.

Below I have put together the two combined lists. I've had great difficulty getting the formatting translated for a web posting. So my apologies as I can't get this information to properly line up as it should in a table.

PERCENTAGE OF PARK ACRES PER TOTAL LAND AREA IN THE CITY


Rank City Land Area Park Acres Park %age Population Density
1 Anchorage/Anchorage Borough
1,258,880 501,725 39.9% Low
2 Albuquerque 115,608 35,232 30.5% Intermediate-Low
3 New Orleans 115,840 29,335 25.3% Low
4 San Diego 207,575 47,136 22.7% Intermediate-Low
5 Virginia Beach 158,903 33,646 21.2% Low
6 New York 195,072 38,019 19.5% High
7 Washington, DC 39,297 7,617 19.4% High
8 El Paso 159,405 29,369 18.4% Low
9 San Francisco 29,884 5,384 18.0% High
10 Jersey City 9,600 1,660 17.3% High
11 Raleigh 73,600 12,403 16.9% Intermediate-Low
12 Minneapolis 35,130 5,864 16.7% Intermediate-High
13 Austin 160,969 26,810 16.7% Intermediate-Low
14 St. Paul 33,920 5,476 16.1% Intermediate-High
15 Boston 30,992 4,897 15.8% High
16 Portland, OR 85,96 13,512 15.7% Intermediate-Low
17 Oakland 35,875 5,219 14.5% High
18 Phoenix 303,907 43,609 14.3% Intermediate-Low
19 San Jose 111,910 15,982 14.3% Intermediate-High
20 Cincinnati 49,898 6,817 13.7% Intermediate-Low
21 Houston 370,818 50,632 13.7% Intermediate-Low
22 Dallas 219,223 29,401 13.4% Intermediate-Low
23 Lincoln 48,00 6,304 13.1% Intermediate-Low
24 Omaha 74,048 9,560 12.9% Intermediate-Low
25 Scottsdale 117,760 15,172 12.9% Low
26 Philadelphia 86,456 10,886 12.6% High
27 Madison 43,520 5,278 12.1% Intermediate-Low
28 Bakersfield 72,320 8,345 11.5% Intermediate-Low
29 San Antonio 260,832 27,922 10.7% Intermediate-Low
30 Seattle 53,677 5,476 10.2% High
31 Long Beach 32,281 3,275 10.1% High
32 Milwaukee/Milwaukee County
154,880 15,037 9.7% Intermediate-Low
33 Riverside, CA 49,920 4,796 9.6% Intermediate-Low
34 Baltimore 51,714 4,905 9.5% High
35 Colorado Spr 118,874 11,219 9.4% Low
36 Aurora, CO 90,880 8,503 9.4% Low
37 Greensboro, NC 66,560 6,186 9.3% Low
38 Plano 46,080 4,215 9.1% Intermediate-Low
39 Pittsburgh 35,573 3,120 8.8% Intermediate-High
40 St. Louis 39,630 3,419 8.6% Intermediate-High
41 Jacksonville 537,000 46,241 8.6% Low
42 Kansas City, MO 200,664 17,272 8.6% Low
43 Buffalo 26,240 2,180 8.3% Intermediate-High
44 Columbus 134,568 11,172 8.3% Intermediate-Low
45 Chicago 145,362 11,907 8.2% High
46 Sacramento 62,180 5,064 8.1% Intermediate-Low
47 Los Angeles 300,201 23,798 7.9% High
48 St. Petersburg 38,400 2,963 7.7% Intermediate-Low
49 Arlington, TX 61,322 4,686 7.6% Intermediate-Low
50 Baton Rouge 48,640 3,501 7.2% Intermediate-Low
51 Detroit 88,810 5,921 6.7% Intermediate-High
52 Louisville 246,400 15,902 6.5% Low
53 Cleveland 49,650 3,130 6.3% Intermediate-High
54 Tulsa 116,891 7,336 6.3% Low
55 Denver 98,142 5,900 6.0% Intermediate-Low
56 Glendale, AZ 35,840 2,149 6.0% Intermediate-Low
57 Ft. Worth 187,222 11,128 5.9% Low
58 Charlotte/Meck 337,280 19,385 5.7% Low
59 Oklahoma City 388,463 21,841 5.6% Low
60 Newark, NJ 15,360 834 5.4% High
61 Wichita 86,879 4,458 5.1% Low
62 Memphis 178,761 9,140 5.1% Low
63 Orlando 59,520 2,941 4.9% Low
64 Indianapolis 231,342 11,137 4.8% Low
65 Ft. Wayne 50,560 2,400 4.7% Intermediate-Low
66 Tampa 71,720 3,358 4.7% Intermediate-Low
67 Atlanta 84,316 3,867 4.6% Intermediate-Low
68 Toledo 51,597 2,206 4.3% Intermediate-Low
69 Chandler, AZ 36,480 1,554 4.3% Intermediate-Low
70 Las Vegas 72,514 3,051 4.2% Intermediate-High
71 Miama 22,830 955 4.2% High
72 Durham 60,160 2,352 3.9% Low
73 Henderson 51,200 1,986 3.9% Intermediate-Low
74 Nashville/Davidson
321,280 10,816 3.4% Low
75 Lexington/Fayette
182,400 6,065 3.3% Low
76 Tucson 124,588 3,892 3.1% Low
77 Mesa 79,990 2,230 2.8% Intermediate-Low
78 Anaheim 31,360 869 2.8% Intermediate-High
79 Birmingham 95,360 2,396 2.5% Low
80 Fresno 66,791 1,510 2.3% Intermediate-Low
81 Corpus Christi 99,200 2,099 2.1% Low
82 Stockton 35,200 674 1.9% Intermediate-High
83 Santa Ana 17,280 324 1.9% High
84 Norfolk 33,920 602 1.8% Intermediate-Low
85 Honolulu/Honolulu County
384,000 6,056 1.6% Low







NUMBER OF ACRES OF PARK LAND PER 1000 RESIDENTS

Rank City Population Total Park Acres Acres/1000 Population Density
1 Anchorage/Anchorage Borough
279,243 501,725 1796.7 Low
2 New Orleans 311,853 29,335 94.1 Low
3 Virginia Beach 433,746 33,646 77.6 Low
4 Albuquerque 521,999 35,232 67.5 Intermediate-Low
5 Scottsdale 235,371 15,172 64.5 Low
6 Jacksonville 807,815 46,241 57.2 Low
7 El Paso 613,190 29,369 47.9 Low
8 Oklahoma City 551,789 21,841 39.6 Low
9 San Diego 1,305,754 47,136 36.1 Intermediate-Low
10 Kansas City, MO 480,129 17,272 36.0 Low
11 Austin 757,688 26,810 35.4 Intermediate-Low
12 Raleigh 392,552 12,403 31.6 Intermediate-Low
13 Colorado Springs 397,317 11,219 28.2 Low
14 Phoenix 1,567,924 43,609 27.8 Intermediate-Low
15 Aurora, CO 319,057 8,503 26.7 Low
16 Bakersfield 321,078 8,345 26.0 Intermediate-Low
17 Lincoln 251,624 6,304 25.1 Intermediate-Low
18 Greensboro, NC 250,642 6,186 24.7 Low
19 Portland, OR 557,706 13,512 24.2 Intermediate-Low
20 Dallas 1,279,910 29,401 23.0 Intermediate-Low
21 Madison 231,916 5,278 22.8 Intermediate-Low
22 Houston 2,242,193 50,632 22.6 Intermediate-Low
23 Louisville 713,877 15,902 22.3 Low
24 Omaha 438,646 9,560 21.8 Intermediate-Low
25 Charlotte/Meck 890,515 19,385 21.8 Low
26 Lexington/Fayette292,240 6,065 20.8 Low
27 San Antonio 1,351,305 27,922 20.7 Intermediate-Low
28 Cincinnati 333,336 6,817 20.5 Intermediate-Low
29 St. Paul 279,590 5,476 19.6 Intermediate-High
30 Tulsa 385,635 7,336 19.0 Low
31 Nashville/Davidson596,462 10,816 18.1 Low
32 San Jose 948,279 15,982 16.9 Intermediate-High
33 Riverside, CA 295,357 4,796 16.2 Intermediate-Low
34 Ft. Worth 703,073 11,128 15.8 Low
35 Milwaukee/Milwaukee County
953,328 15,037 15.8 Intermediate-Low
36 Plano 267,480 4,215 15.8 Intermediate-Low
37 Baton Rouge 223,689 3,501 15.7 Intermediate-Low
38 Minneapolis 382,605 5,864 15.3 Intermediate-High
39 Columbus 754,885 11,172 14.8 Intermediate-Low
40 Indianapolis 798,382 11,137 13.9 Low
41 Memphis 669,651 9,140 13.6 Low
42 Oakland 404,155 5,219 12.9 High
43 Washington, DC 591,833 7,617 12.9 High
44 Orlando 230,519 2,941 12.8 Low
45 Arlington, TX 374,417 4,686 12.5 Intermediate-Low
46 Wichita 366,046 4,458 12.2 Low
47 St. Petersburg 245,314 2,963 12.1 Intermediate-Low
48 Sacramento 463,794 5,064 10.9 Intermediate-Low
49 Durham 223,284 2,352 10.5 Low
50 Birmingham 228,798 2,396 10.5 Low
51 Pittsburgh 310,037 3,120 10.1 Intermediate-High
52 Denver 598,707 5,900 9.9 Intermediate-Low
53 Tampa 340,882 3,358 9.9 Intermediate-Low
54 St. Louis 356,730 3,419 9.6 Intermediate-High
55 Ft. Wayne 251,591 2,400 9.5 Intermediate-Low
56 Seattle 598,541 5,476 9.1 High
57 Glendale, AZ 251,522 2,149 8.5 Intermediate-Low
58 Buffalo 270,919 2,180 8.0 Intermediate-High
59 Boston 620,535 4,897 7.9 High
60 Henderson 252,064 1,986 7.9 Intermediate-Low
61 Baltimore 636,919 4,905 7.7 High
62 Toledo 293,201 2,206 7.5 Intermediate-Low
63 Corpus Christi 286,462 2,099 7.3 Low
64 Cleveland 433,748 3,130 7.2 Intermediate-High
65 Atlanta 537,958 3,867 7.2 Intermediate-Low
66 Tucson 541,811 3,892 7.2 Low
67 Philadelphia 1,540,351 10,886 7.1 High
68 Long Beach 463,789 3,275 7.1 High
69 Honolulu/Honolulu County
877,024 6,056 6.9 Low
70 Jersey City 241,114 1,660 6.9 High
71 San Francisco 808,976 5,384 6.7 High
72 Detroit 912,062 5,921 6.5 Intermediate-High
73 Chandler, AZ 247,140 1,554 6.3 Intermediate-Low
74 Los Angeles 3,833,995 23,798 6.2 High
75 Las Vegas 558,383 3,051 5.5 Intermediate-High
76 Mesa 463,552 2,230 4.8 Intermediate-Low
77 New York 8,363,710 38,019 4.5 High
78 Chicago 2,853,114 11,907 4.2 High
79 Fresno 476,050 1,510 3.2 Intermediate-Low
80 Newark, NJ 278,980 834 3.0 High
81 Anaheim 335,288 869 2.6 Intermediate-High
82 Norfolk 234,220 602 2.6 Intermediate-Low
83 Stockton 287,037 674 2.3 Intermediate-High
84 Miami 413,201 955 2.3 High
85 Santa Ana 339,130 324 1.0 High

[NDL]

I'm a hater of statistics without context (and that's not a slight against you, but against the people who report their "findings")

Example:

The Great Kills Landfill was the largest landfill in the world. NYC has since converted the landfill into a massive park, and on paper, it makes for good statistics (even against the balance of NYC's 8.5 million residents).

The parks in Staten Island are very nice, as are a handful in Queens. But most neighborhood parks aren't very green, or peaceful. Many neighborhood parks are blacktop covered, with swings.

I moved from Long Island to Charlotte, and LI parks were a sticking point: facilities were in disrepair or out of service; poorly stocked, many times dirty. NYS State Park system is ridiculously costly, and again, the facilities were often subpar.

Charlotte parks are very thoughtful, and many have watering facilities for pets. Bathrooms are always stocked. Many parks have nice facades.

So...long answer to a short question - there are things that need improvement in Charlotte, but I don't think that CLT's park system is one of them.

[southbound_295]

These websites aren't counting Fairmont Park in Philadelphia (not your fault), so I have to wonder how good their statistics are for other cities.

[Essequamvideri]

Screw Philly. Yes we need more parks.

[Essequamvideri]

The buildout of the greenway /linear park system will be a great investment for Charlotte.

[kynight]

I have to say no right off the bat. There are many empty parks. Maybe the current ones just need an improvement to draw more people. Charlotte isn't a dense city so it's not as important.

[southbound_295]

Originally Posted by Essequamvideri

Screw Philly. Yes we need more parks.

Reading is fundamental. The OP knows what I'm talking about. If a park that is over 2,000 acres is "forgotten", it puts statistics for other cities into question. Like whether they missed Druid Hill Park in Baltimore, or other large parks in other cities.

[NCN]

Charlotte needs less crime so their parks are safe to go to. More parks would be good but until crime stops who would go to them?

[Guyface]

That is a deceptive list. I lived in New Orleans, and it does not feel like we have the second most part space of those cities listed. We basically have two big parks on opposite ends of town, but they are out of the way for the majority of the people in the city. I definitely think a larger amount of small Parks is better for the community as a whole

[Pfalz]

Originally Posted by Essequamvideri

The buildout of the greenway /linear park system will be a great investment for Charlotte.

...and even though many of the creeks aren't yet official parks, the future greenways are very accessible and open to the public. Even though the cost is going to be hundreds of millions and take 30 years, all that's really needed are hundred dollar access signs, few boy scout troops and 30 days.