Open Space
A new report commissioned by the Outdoor Industry Association offers valuable insights about Americans’ engagement in outdoor activities amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Outdoor Industry Association
Not everyone feels comfortable going for a hike. Various groups are working to break down barriers so that more people can experience the joys and benefits of being in nature.
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation is doing a study to inventory and analyze the need for facilities like beaches, natural areas, open space, regional parks, trails, and local parks in rural areas.
National Recreation and Park Association Open Space Blog
As a class assignment, nearly 150 high school students shared their ideas for improvements to Sorensen Park in Lake Los Angeles, California.
Antelope Valley Press
Feature
Stadium footprints are enormous. It's time to get smarter about how they are used.
A new half-acre park is taking shape on a previously undeveloped hillside property in Chinatown, one of the more densely populated and park-poor areas in L.A.
Urbanize Los Angeles
Blog post
Communities have good reasons to protect trees and forests. Planners can help make this happen.
This approach makes sense because parks are not isolated spaces, and park planning cannot be done effectively or holistically without considering the social, economic, physical, and political context in which parks are located.
Parks & Rec Business
If the combined effects of winter's cold and the pandemic has you bummed, check out this community-building exercise in the frozen North.
PlaceShakers
California has reversed its decision to close playgrounds as part of the state's stay-at-home order after some legislators and parents complained and argued that children need outdoor play for their health and well-being.
CALmatters
New research shows that increasing park acreage in areas that face park deficits and low levels of tree canopy could lead to significant population-level increases in life expectancy.
Parks & Recreation Magazine
Toronto's University Avenue is set for a major makeover, transforming nearly ten acres of pavement to connect with other open spaces to create a contiguous 90 acres of open space, ideal for safe outdoor street life.
The Globe and Mail
The Oakland Slow Streets program, one of the most controversial developments of the early pandemic, has evolved to become the Essential Places initiative, thanks to new planning practices and a commitment to equity in Oakland, California.
We Are Not Divided
Public spaces have become more important than ever. Here are five case studies of innovative and safely designed programming that engages people of all ages and backgrounds.
Reimagining the Civic Commons
The pandemic brought droves of people to Wisconsin’s outdoors, resulting in crowds on trails and at camp sites as well as a growth in the outdoor recreation and manufacturing economy.
Wisconsin State Journal
Youth sports in America have been devastated by the coronavirus which prompted the shutdown of programs and facilities for play and practice.
The New York Times
New York City parents are unhappy that fitness enthusiasts are turning to playgrounds for their workouts.
New York Post
In pursuit of a grant for park development, Los Angeles County engages community members virtually to gather input and design a new park.
Antelope Valley Press
With more than 50,000 acres of parkland, Houston is one of many cities to notice an increase in use of natural areas. Natural Resources Manager Kelly Ondracek is drafting a plan to protect the natural lands from development.
Next City
Hong Kong provides a lesson in the importance of open space for the health and well-being of residents, especially during the isolation and distancing of a pandemic.
BBC
