Funding provided by the National Recreation and Park Association
Ashburn, Va. (Oct. 11, 2018) — Today, as part of the Great Urban Parks Campaign, the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) awarded grant funding totaling $2 million to support green infrastructure projects in 10 U.S. communities. These communities join cities, such as Atlanta, Georgia; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Baltimore, Maryland; and Denver, Colorado, in using green infrastructure in parks to increase climate resiliency, access to outdoor recreation and more. The 2018 Great Urban Parks Campaign grant recipients include:
- Bernalillo County (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
- City of El Paso (El Paso, Texas)
- City of Grand Rapids Parks and Recreation Department (Grand Rapids, Michigan)
- City of Lake Charles (Lake Charles, Louisiana)
- City of Memphis Parks and Neighborhoods Division (Memphis, Tennessee)
- Heartland Conservation Alliance (Kansas City, Missouri)
- Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department (Miami, Florida)
- Local Government Commission (Salinas, California)
- Louisville Parks and Recreation (Louisville, Kentucky)
- New York City Department of Parks and Recreation (Brooklyn, New York)
“NRPA is proud to play a leading role in helping communities combat the adverse effects of climate change,” said Rebecca Wickline, NRPA senior vice president of development. “Congratulations to our 2018 Great Urban Parks Campaign grant recipients, who are making a difference in their communities and beyond by implementing green stormwater infrastructure in parks.”
Green stormwater infrastructure in parks is an efficient way to improve water quality, increase climate resiliency through reduced flooding, enhance the ability of the site to hold and retain stormwater, and improve wildlife habitat, all while providing increased access to nature and outdoor recreation in underserved communities. These 10 new projects will address heat island effect, food insecurity and improved access to waterways, trails and play, to provide additional best practices, effective models and geographic representation of green stormwater infrastructure in parks.
NRPA’s Great Urban Parks Campaign aims to improve environmental and social outcomes in underserved communities through green stormwater infrastructure projects in local parks. The campaign also offers a variety of evidence-based educational resources for park and planning professionals — including A Resource Guide for Planning, Designing and Implementing Green Infrastructure in Parks. Four cities were awarded funding in 2016 and a description of these projects is available here.
Funding for the Great Urban Parks Campaign grant was provided by The JPB Foundation.
To learn more about the benefits of green infrastructure, watch this video.
To learn more about NRPA, visit www.nrpa.org.
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About the National Recreation and Park Association
The National Recreation and Park Association is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that all Americans have access to parks and recreation for health, conservation and social equity. Through its network of 60,000 recreation and park professionals and advocates, NRPA encourages the promotion of healthy and active lifestyles, conservation initiatives and equitable access to parks and public space. For more information, visit www.nrpa.org. For digital access to NRPA’s flagship publication, Parks & Recreation, visit www.parksandrecreation.org.