2015 marks the first year Lexington was included in the national Trust for Public Land’s ParkScore index – a system for ranking public parks in the 75 largest cities in the country.
Researchers with the Trust figure park scores using three measures: public access, size, and the extent to which communities invest in and maintain their parks. Factoring all three metrics together, Lexington tied Nashville, Los Angeles, and Anaheim for 51st place. As Abby Martin with the Trust explains, the ranking showcased both the city’s strengths and weaknesses.
"Lexington is achieving the maximum number of points for the average size of a park, but then at the very bottom in terms of the percentage of the city area that's devoted to park land," she says.
The survey also found that only 51 percent of Lexington residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park – far below the ParkScore average of 71 percent. Martin says the city could boost those numbers by drafting a formal agreement with area schools officially opening up their playgrounds to the public during limited hours.
"We're encouraging cities to formally open up those spaces, make sure somebody's in charge of keeping them open after hours, that if needed the parks department can help with maintenance or whatever the arrangement is," she adds.
Louisville ranked 72nd overall.
