SOCIAL EQUITY
Is COVID-19 Uncovering Park Inequities? By Kimberly Burrowes
O
ver the past six months, COVID-19 has brought more than a health crisis — it has impacted the way we live and work in our communities across the nation. With policies (tinyurl.com/ rdtxsef) encouraging people to practice physical distancing, enact curfews and shelter in place, there are now less interactions in the public realm to slow the spread of the disease. The U.S. National Park Service, along with local government-managed park and recreation departments, face challenges keeping parks open to encourage physical activity and promote good mental health. Park system leaders also recognize that park space may prompt large gatherings and expose employees to health risks by maintaining the green spaces. While ensuring access to parks is an opportunity to diversify daily life, it creates a severe concern for advancing the spread of COVID-19. Yet, even amidst this balancing act, there is the growing recognition that access to parks and recreational spaces are not equitable (tpl.org/10MinuteWalk). There are several communities that have historically lacked access to parks and continue to remain disconnected in a time when getting outdoors is one of the few permissible activities. In many cities across the United States, there are fewer quality parks in close proximity to low-income residents and communities of color, and even
when they live close by, they are less likely to frequent these spaces. Barriers, like perception of public safety, park entry fees and perceived racial discrimination, have prevented residents across the more vulnerable income, education and race groups from accessing parks. Examining the value of parks in a time of physical distancing can help unearth the inequities in the types and quality of spaces available for residents and determine if the communities’ values and priorities are being addressed.
Prioritizing Equitable Investments in COVID-19 In citywide budget cuts, park agency funding is one of the first to go, although parks have tremendous benefits. Parks and green space promote physical activities, encourage mental well-being, are valuable for the environment and bring communities together. While many cities have closed their large parks to uphold the CDC’s physical distancing restrictions, others have embraced the opportunity for residents to utilize the outdoors. According to the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, the nationwide trail use grew by 200 percent from March 16 to 22. As we move from response to recovery to resilience in this period of COVID-19, there is an opportunity to apply the observations of park inequities to improve future park development and programming. These lessons were adapted from the 2019 Urban Institute report, “Investing in Equitable Urban Park Systems” (tinyurl.com/rsb8lal). They were always essential for inclusive city planning but are now even more important as community resilience strategies. Leveraging funding through multiple sources. Parks are mostly funded through traditional city sources, such as budget appropriations, dedicated tax and revenues, or earned fees. As priorities shift for COVID-19, many of these funding streams are dwindling or non-existent. Now is the time for park agencies to align investments with other local programs and policies, to tap new
1
28 Parks & Recreation
| M AY 2 02 0 | PA R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N .O R G
