A respite from the stresses of city life, 'lungs' that cleanse the air and cool surrounding streets, places for connecting with other citizens, or grounds for artistic expression and commemoration; the world's best parks accomplish all of the above.

"A well-designed park is more than green space in the midst of a concrete jungle—it makes a city lovable and livable," observes Kristin Conard. "The most beautiful combine meadows, woodlands, ponds, lakes, and streams with museums and other man-made attractions."
"For city dwellers and tourists alike, an urban park becomes a shared backyard. 'It’s a place to meet friends; it’s a place to have celebrations with families if you’re in small apartments, say in New York,' says Setha Low, director of the Public Space Research Group and author of Rethinking Urban Parks: Public Space and Cultural Diversity."
Central Park in New York, along with Vancouver's Stanley Park and Osaka's Namba Parks, are among those selected by Conard and her colleagues at Travel + Leisure as the "World's Most Beautiful City Parks".
FULL STORY: World's Most Beautiful City Parks

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

Driving Equity and Clean Air: California Invests in Greener School Transportation
California has awarded $500 million to fund 1,000 zero-emission school buses and chargers for educational agencies as part of its effort to reduce pollution, improve student health, and accelerate the transition to clean transportation.

Congress Moves to End Reconnecting Communities and Related Grants
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee moved to rescind funding for the Neighborhood Equity and Access program, which funds highway removals, freeway caps, transit projects, pedestrian infrastructure, and more.

From Throughway to Public Space: Taking Back the American Street
How the Covid-19 pandemic taught us new ways to reclaim city streets from cars.
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