Parks

The City of Hamburg, Germany is planning on building elevated public parks on sections of the to-be-expanded A7 (Highway 7), which is considered one of the most important north-south connectors in Germany.

The 100 largest U.S. cities added 120 new parks last year, but overall spending remained largely flat. Approximately half the cities experienced cuts in their parks budgets, forcing departments to defer maintenance costs even as usership grows.

In San Francisco, almost one out of every six acres is slated to become parkland in the new urban infill projects in Mission Bay.

In Ohio, officials are looking at new ways to liven up their parks. They are providing incentives for volunteers to help beautify and maintain the parks, in addition to adding new programs to attract users to frequent the parks.

Under New York's Delancey Street lurks 60,000 square feet of vaulted ceilings and cobbled streets, sitting unappreciated in the dark. A group of entrepreneurs have plans to create a subterranean park there.

As part of a larger parks plan, one Atlanta suburb wants to use its bonds to build a sports complex where housing already exists. Adding to the controversy, the idea doesn't seem to have gone through a proper public review. Melissa Weinman reports.

"Redfields to Greenfields," a project currently being developed at Georgia Tech in partnership with City Parks Alliance advocacy group, would convert empty commercial sites into parks, writes Nate Berg for The Atlantic Cities.

In Washington, D.C., a huge parking lot that parallels the southwest waterfront is slowly being transformed into a 4.2-acre park. Developers and architects are "turning community input into actual park concepts and designs," said to The Dirt.

Pollution has caused the Anacostia River to suffer, writes Ryan Donahue, and efforts to revitalize the area were put on hold just as the recession began. Since then, the District has implemented programs to help restore this neglected area.

Richard Louv says we're drowning in a "sea of circuitry" and in desperate need to reconnect with greenery and nature in our living spaces to sooth our souls.

Site of the Occupy Wall Street protests, Zuccotti Park is a privately-owned public space. Lisa W. Foderaro explains the difference between this and a public park, and why it works for the protests.

Just four percent of Irvine's Great Park has been built in six years, compared to an early estimation that it would be completed in 10. Now, it may take 20. And it's no one's fault, writes Jeff Overley.

Pending a memorandum of understanding between city and U.N. officials, Manhattan may begin a land swap process that will finally fill in a mile-long gap of greenway along the East River. Lisa R. Foderaro reports.

Transplanting the wildly popular pilot projects in NYC and SF across the northern border, the City launches VIVA Vancouver program that converts parts of eight streets into public spaces.

Community organizers in Philadelphia are leading an effort to convert a disused elevated railway into a park.

Plans are moving ahead to convert Berlin's Tempelhof airfield into the city's newest park.

Neighborhoods in New York City have built temporary "pop-up" playgrounds in an effort to encourage more physical activity among children.

For a recent contest, Good magazine asked its readers to submit guides to the interesting and unique parts of their city. The winning entry is a guide to Asheville, North Carolina.

Houston is leading the way in creating new public spaces. This article from The Project for Public Spaces looks at a few of the city's efforts.

Philadelphia is opening its first "parklet" -- a small public park space built on street parking spaces.