July 2018 - Parks & Recreation - 54

10-MINUTE WALK

Mayor
M
a
Lovely Warren (D), Rochester, New York
(Po
(Population
208,000; 78 percent within a 10-minute walk)
A ggrand city on the shores of a great lake, Rochester is committed to equitable park access. The city will focus on
identifying
barriers and gaps in connections to parks while enhancing public awareness and engaging communiide
ties
tie in park programming. " Parks make neighborhoods more beautiful and offer wonderful recreational opportunities
for children and families. Investing in recreation and fitness opportunities is important to foster healthy
tu
children
and citizens of all ages. This grant will also help us in our efforts to create overall safer, more vibrant
ch
neighborhoods,
more jobs and better educational opportunities for our residents, " says Mayor Lovely Warren.
ne

Mayor Rudy Durham (NP),
M
LLewisville, Texas
(Population 104,780; 61 percent within a 10-minute walk)
A suburb of Dallas, Lewisville is making strides to have equitable 10-minute walk access to parks. " Ensuring each of our residents has easy access to our green centerpiece and park system
via trails and pedestrian connections is identified as Big Moves
in Lewisville 2025, " says Mayor Rudy Durham. " We are proud
to be a leader in the 10-Minute Walk to a Park campaign and
look forward to working with NRPA, TPL, ULI and our community partners to bridge gaps of access for everyone. " The
city, which has a large population of immigrants and refugees,
will be partnering with Chin Community Ministries, the Youth
Action Council, Keep Lewisville Beautiful and neighborhoods
to engage community members in assessing walkability and access to parks. It will also integrate 10-Minute Walk campaign
goals into development guidelines, creating a lasting impact on
the future of Lewisville.

(Population 193,000; 72 percent
within a 10-minute walk)
In the growing city of Grand Rapids, local officials
and community partners are working to erase disparities in historically underserved parts of the city,
while creating new public spaces that keep pace with
current development. Mayor Rosalynn Bliss shares:
" Parks play a critically important role in our community. This campaign complements the goal we have
set as a community to ensure there is a park within walking distance of every child who lives in our
city. " By developing an equity-based prioritization
plan for park acquisitions, maximizing public land,
and identifying public and private funding mechanisms, Grand Rapids aims to have equitable park
access for all residents.

Mayor Buddy Dyer (D), Orlando, Florida

Mayor Noam Bramson (D),
New Rochelle, New York

(Population 259,000; 60 percent within a 10-minute walk)
Orlando is committed to a parks system grounded in inclusivity and equitable access. The fast growth of Orlando
provides the opportunity to expand its network of multiuse
trails, enhance connections to parks, and update development codes and policies to ensure park equity and quality.
" Studies show city parks are good for health, social connection and the economy, " explains Mayor Buddy Dyer. " As
Orlando continues to grow, it's important for us to make
a critical investment in parks and maintain quality green
space for everyone. This grant will help us provide great
parks within a 10-minute walk from home to more of our
residents, no matter where they live, " Dyer adds.

52

Mayor Rosalynn Bliss (D),
Grand Rapids, Michigan

Parks & Recreation

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(Population 78,000; 91 percent within a
10-minute walk)
Located on the border of the most populous city in
the United States, New Rochelle aims to build on
its current walkability and recreation goals. " Our
project goal will focus on reducing barriers to park
access in underserved communities, improving environmental conditions and community health, and
expanding access to nature, " says Mayor Noam
Bramson. The city is working to increase walking
connections to parks and to create new parks and
open space, making the city " ideally yours. "
July 2018 - Parks & Recreation

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