Learning to Share: Designing Schoolyards for More Than Just Recess

Posted on May 2, 2011 by Peter Harnik

A sixth excerpt from the recently released book published by Island Press called Urban Green: Innovative Parks for Resurgent Cities. In this post, we look at some cities who have created parkland by sharing schoolyards with their parks departments. Schoolyards are large, flat, centrally located open spaces with a mandate to serve the recreational needs of schoolchildren. Great schoolyards–the rare [...]

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Turning Redfields to Greenfields in Philadelphia and Beyond

Posted on January 7, 2011 by Ryan Donahue

This post is a follow-up to our previous entry about Philadelphia’s plan to turn 500 acres of underused land into city parks by 2015. When a single good-sized maple tree can add over $7,000 to a home’s sale value, according to a study in Portland, Oregon, it’s not difficult to imagine the effect of turning [...]

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500 Acres: Philadelphia’s Park Plan

Posted on December 14, 2010 by Ryan Donahue

“What’s your park?” When the City of Philadelphia asked its residents that simple question, they found that 1 in 8 residents – 200,000 people – couldn’t come up with an answer. Why? Because there isn’t a city park within a 10-minute walk of where they live. Philadelphia is understandably proud of its 4,000-acre Fairmount Park, [...]

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Park Ranger Shortages in Urban National Parks

Posted on August 17, 2010 by Coleen Gentles

It is easy to forget the many different types of parkland located in urban areas. Besides municipal parks, there are also state, county, regional and national parks. In the 85 largest cities, 15 cities are home to 48 National Park units, which include monuments, houses, forts, battlefields and preserves. Washington, D.C. has by far the [...]

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Some news from around…

Posted on May 28, 2010 by Elissa Hoagland

Two different ways to design and program public space: 1) “Street Pianos” are coming to New York, and will be prominently placed in a number of parks. The pianos have been successful in London, São Paulo and other cities. (Village Voice); and 2) from Toronto, color and art comes in the form of painted “nature-inspired [...]

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Some news from around…

Posted on May 14, 2010 by Elissa Hoagland

New plans for a greenway along the Allegheny Riverfront in Pittsburgh. Next American City has the story, along with a fantastic picture of Point State Park. Kaid Benfield at NRDC reviews Peter Harnik’s “Urban Green: Innovative Parks for Resurgent Cities.” Jonathan Lerner at Miller-McCune discusses the connections between urban planning and public health, highlighting the [...]

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Trash Compactors in Philadelphia

Posted on September 2, 2009 by Ben Welle

GOOD magazine takes us to Philadelphia to look at the city’s new trash compactors. LOVE Park (or JFK Plaza as it is formally known) is seen in the background. more about “Trash Compactors in Philadelphia“, posted with vodpod

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Philadelphia: Improving Access to Gardens & Markets

Posted on August 12, 2009 by Ben Welle

With the community gardening movement experiencing increasing popularity, some cities are undertaking innovative efforts to expand access to these facilities. In Philadelphia, Mayor Michael Nutter directed the creation of a strategic plan called Green Works. One of the plan’s key goals is to “bring local food within 10 minutes [walk] of 75 percent of residents. [...]

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Lots for Community Gardens: Save or Not Save

Posted on June 18, 2009 by Ben Welle

An article in the Philadelphia Daily News on the city’s burgeoning reliance community garden grown food mentions an issue dealth with in many cities creating gardens, but then wondering what will happen to that land when development returns: The houses that once stood on 49th Street near Brown were built on unstable fill. Decades ago, [...]

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Philadelphia Park and Recreation Agencies Merging

Posted on November 6, 2008 by Ben Welle

Philadelphia voters overwhelming approved an amendment to the city’s charter to create a unified Department of Parks and Recreation, with 73% of voters backing the measure. Readers may not know that Philadelphia’s parks and recreation system is divided into the Fairmount Park Commission, mainly responsible for more natural lands, and the Department of Recreation, in [...]

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