Parks
Schwarzenegger to Receive Park Protection Award
Without even a hint of sarcasm, the National Park Trust is planning to give an award to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger for protection of public lands.
Connecting New York City's Immigrants With Parks
This piece from Urban Omnibus looks at a collaborative effort in New York City to get immigrant populations better engaged in the city's public parks.
5,000 New Acres of Parks
U.S. cities added 5,000 new acres of parkland over the past year, according to a new study by the Trust for Public Land.
Big Plans in the O.C.
Ken Smith won an international design competition to turn a 1,300 acre former military base in Orange County, CA into an urban park to rival Central Park in NY. His plan is ambitious, and could be sunk by politics and finances.
Oklahoma City Releases Broad New Plan
A broad new plan has been unveiled in Oklahoma City. Included in the plan is a new 70-acre downtown park and a raft of transit improvements.
Park(ing) Day 2009
Last Friday was Park(ing) Day 2009, a growing movement where city parking spaces are transformed into miniature parks as a comment on public space (and the lack thereof). Here's a glimpse into Seattle's version.
San Francisco's Fast Park Movement
New parks are popping up with a quickness in San Francisco, where planners have fast-tracked the conversion of street spaces into pedestrian parks.
California Environmental Groups Hope to Save State Parks with DMV Fees
Major environmental groups hope this year's park closures, caused by the California budget crisis, will inspire support for parks at the ballot box next year.
Pavement to Parks Sees Progress in San Francisco
The city of San Francisco has barricaded two new large swatches of land to be used as part of its Pavement to Parks projects, and is enjoying a flood of support from residents, businesses, politicians, and local educational institutions.
New Parks Across US Boom, Dazzle
Neal Peirce says this is a 'bonanza decade' for parks, thanks to the many benefits of parks to cities and a 'wow' factor found in some of the newest parks around the U.S., including St. Louis' Citygarden and Manhattan's High Line Park.
The Early Bird Gets The... Picnic Table?
Competition was stiff for prime picnic spots in a Washington, D.C. park this Labor Day, prompting locals to set up as early as 2:30am. Is this an indicator of a growing need for public parks and civic spaces?
From Garbage Mountain to Amphitheatre
A new 50,000 seat amphitheater is being planned for construction in Tel Aviv's new urban park, which was built on top of a garbage dump.
How the Economy Could Hurt Atlanta's Beltline
Atlanta's Beltline project is one of the most ambitious transportation plans the city has seen in decades, but the downturn in the economy could wreak havoc on its progress.
High Line Assessment District Dropped
Plans to create an assessment district near New York City's new High Line linear park have been dropped.
Parks Are Cash Cows
A new report claims that Central Park in New York added $1 billion to the economy in 2007, and the new High Line park added $4 billion in new real estate developments.
The Importance of the Informal Playground
Unstructured play is a mainstay of childhood. But dense urban areas offer fewer opportunities for free-form playtime, writes Alex Marshall. Kids have to take what they can get, and often it's not much more than an empty parking lot.
Kickflips in Kabul
A nonprofit program started in 2007 is teaching kids in Kabul, Afghanistan how to skateboard. This slideshow from the Los Angeles Times takes a look.
Park Built On Top of Contaminated Site
New public space has opened in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in an unlikely place. The new park sits a few feet above the contaminated grounds of a deactivated municipal incinerator.
Budweiser Beach, CA?
With the new California budget slashing state park funding, as many as 100 parks and beaches could close. Park officials are seeking funding to keep parks open, including corporate sponsorship opportunities.
Largest Park in Newark Opens, 30 Years Late
Nat Turner Park is Newark's newest, and largest, city-owned park. The city bought the lot in the 1970s but didn't get around to developing it until now.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
