Creating and Funding Parks

Land for Parks

In cities across America, there is a growing need for new parks to revitalize economies and improve community health. But in dense, “built-out” urban centers, securing land for parks, playgrounds, and greenways is a challenge. The Trust for Public Land is on the leading edge of the search for creative solutions.

Potential parkland exists in unexpected places: from the top of freeway overpasses to parking lots and former industrial zones. In cities like Chattanooga, Newark, and Miami, we are partnering with local leaders and community groups to transform disused riverfront property into vibrant new parks and greenways. Elsewhere, in places like Chicago and Santa Fe, onetime railway lines form the backbone for networks of trails and linear parks.

Funding for Parks

There is no silver-bullet funding solution for city parks—especially in tough economic times. But there are an array of financing tools available to communities, including public-private partnerships, ballot measures, and developer extractions.

The Trust for Public Land is an authoritative source for information on these and other funding options. The Center for City Park Excellence's analyses inform state and local decision-makers across the country, helping park advocates meet the growing need for urban green space.

For more information on our work to fund land-protection efforts—especially at the ballot box—see also Conservation Finance