Twin Cities tie!
The results are in: we’ve run the numbers on park systems in the 75 largest U.S. cities to create the fourth annual Trust for Public Land ParkScore®
Index. Combining factors of park
acreage, amenities, and access, the index gives planners a pic- ture of where there’s work to be done to provide city dwellers with the green space they need. This year’s debut of 15 additional cities saw St. Paul join Minneapolis in a tie for best U.S. park system. If you expected lush Portland or outdoorsy San Francisco in the top spot, that’s no surprise—but though coastal folk may not know it, the Midwest is packed with successful city parks. Here are five ways the Twin Cities are doing it right.
TWIN CITIES #1 minneapolis | s t. pa ul
the trust for public land parkscore®
index 1 PEOPLE-POWERED TRANSIT
In Minneapolis, the nearly six-mile-long Midtown Greenway hosts more than 1.5 million bicycle trips per year. A former rail line, the Greenway is largely separated from car traffic— making it a fun (and often faster!) way to commute.
2 A STRONG SENSE OF PLACE
In the best city parks, arts and culture are not just an after- thought: they’re as much a part of the planning process as permits and landscaping. At Frogtown Park and Farm in St. Paul, neighbors are using a creative placemaking approach to build a one-of-a-kind green space that combines com- munity art and agriculture.
3 TIME TRAVEL Midtown Greenway, Minneapolis
Done right, a city park can double as an open-air museum. Mill Ruins Park—an intriguing labyrinth of metal catwalks and crumbling brick—is a monument to the factories that once made Minneapolis the flour capital of the world.
4 CLEVER COLLABORATION Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary, St. Paul
Great park systems might start in City Hall, but they thrive when community groups, transit agencies, and businesses get in on the action, too. Twin Cities officials are exploring ways to create “POPS”—privately owned public spaces—at stops along The Green Line, the new light-rail corridor con- necting downtown Minneapolis to downtown St. Paul.
5 ALL-WEATHER FUN
EXPLORE INTERACTIVE MAPS AND THE FULL PARKSCORE®
PARKSCORE.TPL.ORG
INDEX @ 24 · LAND&PEOPLE · FALL/WINTER 2015
True, this part of the country is known for brutal winters— but the locals are just as tough. Those willing to brave the elements benefit from parks with something for every sea- son. Transformed with help from The Trust for Public Land, Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary in St. Paul is a onetime indus- trial site that’s now the perfect place to spend a snow day.
what counts
photos: top, flickr user deb; bottom, allen brisson-smith
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