Parks are "Volatile Places"

Peter Harnik of the Trust for Public Land spoke recently about the challenges facing urban parks, and how they can be catalysts for revitalization and change when done correctly.

1 minute read

June 10, 2010, 2:02 PM PDT

By Tim Halbur


At a recent presentation at the National Building Museum, Harnik presented his strategies for carving innovative parks out dense cities:

"1. Buy the land. Harnik pointed to Boston's Public Square and the Santa Fe Railway Park as examples of good investments made by local governments.

2. Use urban redevelopment. Portland's Pearl District was cited as an example.

3. Turn part-time schoolyards into full-time parks. 'Ideally, these facilities should be in use 16 hours per day.'"

You can read all 14 of Harnik's recommendations at ASLA's The Dirt blog.

Thursday, June 10, 2010 in ASLA's The Dirt blog

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I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

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