Park Bench Chat: Park Development as Equitable Development - A 10-Minute Walk Mayors Roundtable

Is your city's park and greenspace strategy helping everyone thrive?

August 23, 2023

Sponsored Webinar

Equitable development means making sure that everyone's needs - especially those in underserved communities - are met as our cities change and transform over time. As cities find new ways of reducing disparities and creating strong, livable communities, it’s essential that parks and greenspaces are prioritized as part of the solution.

Parks and greenspaces can help address some of the most urgent challenges of today and tomorrow. They link neighbors to each other, provide space for leisure and exercise, and create shade and protection from weather events. They offer powerful opportunities to build healthy and connected neighborhoods, and places that people want to live, work, and play. However, with 100 million people lacking access to close-to-home parks, these benefits are not equitably available. And unless action is taken today, these inequities will continue to grow.

Come join us for an engaging discussion on how city leaders can plan for parks and greenspace projects that benefit all residents, especially those who are most impacted by economic burdens, health issues, and social disparities. During this 10-Minute Walk Mayors Roundtable, you'll hear from city leaders who are using innovative policies and practices that leverage parks as a tool for equitable development. They're helping to tackle systemic community problems like poverty, environmental justice, and health equity through their park and greenspace projects.

Don't miss this opportunity to learn how your city can create a more inclusive and thriving community through its park and greenspace strategy!

Speakers

John Surico is a journalist and researcher who focuses on cities and how they're changing. His reporting can be found in The New York Times, Bloomberg and The Guardian. He is the Senior Fellow for Climate and Opportunity at Center for an Urban Future, a leading think tank in New York. He teaches urban reporting at New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute, and holds an MS in Transport & City Planning from University College London. He is based in Queens, New York.

Danene Sorace serves as the 43rd Mayor of Lancaster. Mayor Sorace brings her experience as a non-profit leader, environmental advocate, and City Councilor to the role of mayor. She has set forth a vision of building a stronger, more equitable Lancaster block by block underscored by four strategic priorities: strong neighborhoods, safe places, sustainable economy, and sound government.

Christina Jang is a Senior Program Manager for 10-Minute Walk at Trust for Public Land (TPL). She manages city relationships, capacity building and technical assistance to deliver TPL services to the 10-Minute Walk network of 300 + cities. She also leads the Community of Practice for Park Equity, a forum that convenes over 80 cities across the country to discuss and advance policies and practices that address park access, quality, and equity.

Sponsor

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