By Rob Brawner, Atlanta BeltLine Partnership Executive Director
Atlanta has a good park system. According to the Trust for Public Land’s 2023 ParkScore index (the most comprehensive annual rating of the 100 largest U.S. cities’ park systems), Atlanta is no. 28 – up from no. 51 in 2016, but plateaued from no. 27 in 2022.
But are we satisfied with a good park system? Or do we expect it to be great?
This matters not only for our collective mental and physical health but also for our economic success. The National Recreation and Parks Association’s 2023 Engagement with Parks Report found 84% of U.S. adults seek nearby high-quality parks and recreation when choosing a place to live. The quality of Atlanta’s park system will be a critical factor as we continue to compete with other cities for talent and economic growth.
The Atlanta BeltLine has proven that people and businesses want to locate near quality greenspace. Quality of life improves when we go outside and connect with better health, with our neighbors, and with our vibrant communities. However, the Atlanta BeltLine planning area covers only 20% of the city, and the strategies that have made the BeltLine successful need to be applied more broadly to serve all Atlantans.
How do we make our park system great? According to renowned business author Jim Collins, “Greatness, it turns out, is largely a matter of conscious choice and discipline,” so let’s start by addressing the two areas where we rank most poorly: acreage (72nd out of 100) and equity (65th out of 100).
Acreage
Currently, only 6.5% of the City of Atlanta’s area is dedicated to parkland, compared to a median of 10% for the 100 largest cities.
Historically, the lack of funding to maintain parks has discouraged investment in new greenspace. Under the leadership of Mayor Dickens and Atlanta City Council, that has changed, with a historic increase in the parks budget, including an additional $750,000 per year to maintain the Atlanta BeltLine trail corridor.
More than a dozen park-focused nonprofit organizations led by Park Pride are working closely with the mayor and Parks and Recreation commissioner to achieve the City’s greenspace goals identified in the Activate ATL 10-year master plan. It’s an unprecedented alignment.
Now is the time for public agencies, philanthropic funders, developers (publicly accessible greenspace could be included in your developments), schools, and others to support an acquisition strategy that brings Atlanta in line with peer cities. We need about 3,000 acres to get to 10%. It will require a collective effort akin to the bold, historic investments that have ensured the 22-mile Atlanta BeltLine trail corridor will be completed by 2030.
Equity
The ParkScore rankings measure equity both by the percentage of low-income residents and people of color within a 10-minute walk of a park and by the amount of park space these residents have in their neighborhoods relative to the amount of park space in predominantly high-income and white neighborhoods.
Distinguishing it from other large-scale urban greenspace projects, the Atlanta BeltLine includes a substantial investment in affordable housing and is on pace to meet or exceed the 5,600-unit goal from the 2005 BeltLine Redevelopment Plan. This co-investment in parkland and affordable housing should be replicated throughout the city to advance equity.
Mayor Dickens’ goal to create 20,000 affordable housing units by 2030 has catalyzed a coordinated effort to keep Atlanta affordable for low-income residents. Strategic alignment between housing and parks organizations can multiply the benefits for our most vulnerable residents by giving them direct access to greenspace – access that can be enhanced through continued investment in safe trail and sidewalk connections.
Furthermore, Atlanta’s Parks and Recreation department has developed an Equity Data Tool (EDT). Among its many uses, the EDT will help prioritize low-income residents and communities of color when acquiring new parkland, ensuring these investments will support a more equitable park system.
In the words of Mayor Dickens, Atlanta is a group project. As a result of many organizations working together, funding has been secured to maintain parks at a much higher standard than ever before – and coordinated efforts are underway to equitably expand our park system and improve access for low-income residents. Hard work lies ahead, and more funding is needed for acquisition and development, but if we seize this historic opportunity, Atlanta can continue its ascent to be one of the best park systems in the country.
That will be great.
