Contacts:
The Trust for Public Land: Tim Ahern, 415-800-5177
National Recreation and Park Association: Heather Williams, 703-858-4743
Urban Land Institute: Trisha Riggs, 202-624-7086

Leaders from 127 cities back The Trust for Public Land, National Recreation and Park Association, and Urban Land Institute’s 10-minute walk to a park campaign.

At 10:10 a.m. on October 10, 127 of the nation’s most influential mayors joined The Trust for Public Land, National Recreation and Park Association, and Urban Land Institute in launching a historic “10-minute walk” parks advocacy campaign, establishing the ambitious goal that all Americans should live within a 10-minute walk (or half-mile) of a high-quality park or green space.

This bipartisan group includes mayors from all across the country and represents cities large and small, including America’s four largest cities (New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston) and diverse communities developing innovative parks solutions, from Oklahoma City to Chattanooga. The U.S. Conference of Mayors, which represents more than 1,000 U.S mayors, also unanimously passed a resolution at the 85^th Annual Meeting urging all mayors to actively pursue the 10-minute walk to a park goal.

“I am proud we’re supporting the goal of a 10-minute walk to a quality park for all,” said New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. “Connecting people to parks is a sure way to build happier, healthier communities and improve daily life for millions of Americans.”

Studies show that high-quality parks provide a wide range of benefits to urban residents and cities themselves. These include physical and mental health benefits, by providing opportunities to be physically active and to interact with nature; economic benefits by boosting business and helping to revitalize neighborhoods; community-building benefits by providing opportunities for neighbors to interact with each other and work together to improve their surroundings; and environmental benefits by cleaning and cooling the air, improving climate resilience, and providing opportunities for environmental education.

Partnering with cities to advance the 10-minute vision

The campaign marks the start of a multi-year partnership with cities and mayors across the country. Beginning in 2018, the campaign—led by The Trust for Public Land in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association, and Urban Land Institute—will be working with select cities across the country on measurable policies and strategies to advance the 10-minute walk vision.

Reaching 100 percent served in cities nationwide will require major advances in park finance and construction; zoning changes to encourage park development; embedding this goal into city parks master plans; the expansion of “joint use” agreements that open school playgrounds, tracks, and gyms for public use after hours and on weekends; and other innovations.

“Everyone deserves to have a park within a 10-minute walk,” said Adrian Benepe, senior vice president and director of city park development for The Trust for Public Land. “As our research shows, more than 100 million Americans currently don’t have access to the countless benefits parks provide. These mayors deserve enormous credit for endorsing the 10-minute walk and supporting the principle that parks are a right, not a privilege—and that everyone deserves access to high-quality public parks and open green spaces. I hope more mayors will sign on, and I encourage all citizens to urge their elected leaders to prioritize park access and quality.”

“On issues from climate change to infrastructure development, U.S. mayors have shown that cities can lead. Mayors aren’t waiting on Washington; they are acting boldly and independently. Urban leaders have declared that parks are a priority, and mayors have joined together in this historic campaign to ensure that everyone has access to a high-quality park,” said Barbara Tulipane, president and chief executive officer of the National Recreation and Park Association.

“Thoughtfully designed parks make a positive difference in the quality of life in communities, serving as a respite, a source of civic pride, and a draw for investment activity,” said Patrick L. Phillips, global chief executive officer for the Urban Land Institute. “We are excited to work with these distinguished mayors and other urban leaders to promote the 10-minute walk campaign and help improve park access in their cities as well as urban areas across the country.”

127 mayors/cities endorsing the 10-minute walk standard

The full list can be found at 10minutewalk.org

• Alameda, CA, Trish Herrera Spencer
• Alexandria, VA, Allison Silberberg
• Anaheim, CA, Thomas Tait
• Andover, MN, Julie Trude
• Ann Arbor, MI, Christopher Taylor
• Arcadia, CA, Peter Amundson
• Arlington, VA, Jay Fisette
• Atlanta, GA, Kasim Reed
• Atlantic City, NJ, Don Guardian
• Aurora, CO, Steve Hogan
• Austin, TX, Steve Adler
• Baltimore, MD, Catherine Pugh
• Baton Rouge, LA, Sharon Weston Broome
• Bloomfield, NJ, Michael Venezia
• Bloomington, IN, John Hamilton
• Boca Raton, FL, Susan Haynie
• Boise, ID, Dave Bieter
• Boston, MA, Martin Walsh
• Bozeman, MT, Carson Taylor
• Bridgeport, CT, Joseph Ganim
• Brockton, MA, Bill Carpenter
• Burlington, VT, Miro Weinberger
• Carmel, IN, Jim Brainard
• Charlotte, NC, Jennifer Roberts
• Chattanooga, TN, Andy Berke
• Chicago, IL, Rahm Emanuel
• Clarksville, TN, Kim McMillan
• Clearwater, FL, George Cretekos
• Cody, WY, Matt Hall
• College Station, TX, Karl Mooney
• Colorado Springs, CO, John Suthers
• Columbia, SC, Stephen Benjamin
• Covina, CA, Jorge Marquez
• Cupertino, CA, Savita Vaidhyanathan
• Dallas, TX, Mike Rawlings
• Danville, VA, John Gilstrap
• Davie, FL, Judy Paul
• Denver, CO, Michael Hancock
• Des Moines, WA, Matt Pina
• Des Moines, IA, Frank Cownie
• Dolton, IL, Riley Rogers
• Doral, FL, Juan Carlos Bermudez
• Dublin, CA, David Haubert
• Durham, NC, Bill Bell
• East Hartford, CT, Marcia Leclerc
• East Point, GA, Jannquell Peters
• Edmond, OK, Charles Lamb
• Elgin, IL, Dave Kaptain
• Elizabeth, NJ, J. Christian Bollwage
• Encinitas, CA, Catherine Blakespear
• Eugene, OR, Lucy Vinis
• Evansville, IL, Lloyd Winnecke
• Fort Collins, CO, Wade Troxell
• Fort Myers, FL, Randall Henderson, Jr.
• Fort Worth, TX, Betsy Price
• Frederick, MD, Randy McClement
• Gadsden, AL, Sherman Guyton
• Gainseville, FL, Lauren Poe
• Gary, IN, Karen Freeman-Wilson
• Golden, CO, Marjorie Sloan
• Grand Praire, TX, Ron Jensen
• Grand Rapids, MI, Rosalynn Bliss
• Greensboro, NC, Nancy Vaughan
• Greenville, MS, Derrick Simmons
• Hartford, CT, Luke Bronin
• Hemet, CA, Linda Krupa
• Hoboken, NJ, Dawn Zimmer
• Holland, MI, Nancy DeBoer
• Honolulu, HI, Kirk Caldwell
• Houston, TX, Sylvester Turner
• Kansas City, MO, Sly James
• Kearney, NE, Stanley Clouse
• Killeen, TX, Jose Segarra
• Lacy, WA, Andy Ryder
• Lakeland, FL, Howard Wiggs
• Las Cruces, NM, Ken Miyagishima
• Las Vegas, NV, Carolyn Goodman
• Lewisville, TX, Rudy Durham
• Little Rock, AR, Mark Stodola
• Los Angeles, CA, Eric Garcetti
• Lynnwood, WA, Nicola Smith
• Macon, GA, Robert Reichert
• Manchester, NH, Ted Gatsas
• Melrose, MA, Rob Dolan
• Miami Gardens, FL, Oliver Gilbert
• Minneapolis, MN, Betsy Hodges
• Montpelier, VT, John Hollar
• Mount Vernon, NY, Richard Thomas
• Murfreesboro, TN, Shane McFarland
• Myrtle Beach, SC, John Rhodes
• New Orleans, LA, Mitch Landrieu
• New York, NY, Bill de Blasio
• Newark, NJ, Ras Baraka
• New Haven, CT, Toni Harp
• Niagara Falls, NY, Paul Dyster
• Oklahoma City, OK, Mick Cornett
• Orlando, FL, Buddy Dyer
• Palmdale, CA, Jim Ledford
• Pembroke Pines, FL, Frank Ortis
• Philadelphia, PA, Jim Kenney
• Plano, TX,Harry LaRosiliere
• Portland, ME, Ethan Strimling
• Providence, RI, Jorge Elorza
• Queen Creek, AZ, Gail Barney
• Reno, NV, Hillary Schieve
• Richardson,TX, Paul Voelker
• Richmond, VA, Levar Stoney
• Riverside, CA, Rusty Bailey
• Rochester Hills, MI, Bryan Barnett
• Rochester, NY, Lovely Warren
• Rockford, IL, Tom McNamara
• San Francisco, CA, Ed Lee
• Santa Clara, CA, Lisa Gillmor
• Santa Fe, NM, Javier Gonzales
• Stamford, CT, David Martin
• Paul, MN, Chris Coleman
• Sumter, SC, Joe McElveen
• Tallahassee, FL, Andrew Gillum
• Thornton, CO, Heidi Williams
• Thousand Oaks, CA, Claudia Bill-de la Pena
• Toledo, OH, Paula Hicks-Hudson
• Vancouver, WA, Tim Leavitt
• Virginia Beach, VA, William Sessoms
• Washington, DC, Muriel Bowser
• Wenatchee, WA, Frank Kuntz
• Wichita, KS , Jeff Longwell
• Wisconsin Rapids, WI, Zachary Vruwink

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About The Trust for Public Land

The Trust for Public Land creates parks and protects land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come. Millions of people live near a Trust for Public Land park, garden, or natural area, and millions more visit these sites every year.  To support The Trust for Public Land and share why nature matters to you, visit www.tpl.org or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

About the Urban Land Institute

The Urban Land Institute is a nonprofit education and research institute supported by its members. Its mission is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. Established in 1936, the institute has more than 40,000 members worldwide representing all aspects of land use and development disciplines. For more information, please visit uli.org or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

About the National Recreation and Park Association

The National Recreation and Park Association is the leading non-profit dedicated to ensuring that all Americans have access to quality parks and recreation. Through its network of 60,000 recreation and park professionals and advocates, NRPA encourages the promotion of healthy and active lifestyles, conservation, and equitable access to parks. To learn more about NRPA and how you can contribute to the advancement of parks and recreation, visit www.nrpa.org or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.