The Trust for Public Land released its 2015 ParkScore today, ranking the 75 largest U.S. cities on the metrics of acreage, facilities and investment, and access.
In addition to increasing the number of cities receiving a scores, up from 60 last year, ParkScore 2015 (see the whole list) produced a notable change at the top, with New York City dropping from a tie for first to a tie for fifth with Portland.
Minneapolis and St. Paul lead the list in 2015 (Minneapolis also tied for first last year), followed by Washington, D.C., and San Francisco.
Andrew Theen picked up on the news of the ranking, noting especially the city of Portland's penchant for pooches—manifested in "the most dog parks per 100,000 residents, with 5.4 parks, nearly eight times the average for the other 74 cities."
Peter Callghan also picked up the news of the top billings earned by the Twin Cities. Callaghan offers the following distinctions in the metrics that added up to the top ranking: "St. Paul narrowly outscored Minneapolis in the percentage of residents who are walking distance to a park (96 percent to 95 percent). Minneapolis won the median park size competition (6.8 acres to 3.7 acres). And St. Paul won the amenities race, based on its prodigious supply of hoops and playgrounds."
FULL STORY: Park Score 2015
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