Cincinnati's Parks are Ranked in the Top 10 Once Again

Today, Cincinnati was named the #6 city for parks out of the largest 100 US cities, once again in the top 10. The annual ranking of park access, quality, and equity was compiled by the Trust for Public Land, whose mission is to “create parks and protect land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come.”

Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval said, “We are proud of our parks, and I don’t think anyone who has visited them is surprised to learn we are a top 10 city. I am especially grateful for the amazing Parks and Recreation staff, and the thousands of volunteers, including the Board of Park Commissioners and the Cincinnati Recreation Commission, and the Cincinnati Parks Foundation, who work to keep our parks looking great and working so well. Of course, there is always room for improvement, and together we will continue to support making our green spaces even better.”

The comprehensive, technical evaluation compared park lands in cities on 5 factors: access, acreage, investment, amenities, and equity in access to public greenspace by race and income. Cincinnati scored well above average when it comes to park access, a primary study indicator, with 88% of residents living within a half mile of a park.

“In Cincinnati, we love our parks. Every day out in the field, we see firsthand the special place they hold for everyone who uses them,” said Jason Barron, Director of Cincinnati Parks. “Being named in the top 10 year after year is only possible because of a citywide commitment and love for our parks. We as a city, all play a part in keeping our parks and greenspaces wonderful spaces. It is part of our DNA in Cincinnati to demand and invest in awesome Parks.”

The review included parks and greenspaces in Cincinnati managed by the Cincinnati Park Board as well as the Cincinnati Recreation Commission, Cincinnati Public Schools, and the Hillside Trust. Cincinnati Parks remains delighted to have had their collaboration and support in developing the data evaluated by the Trust for Public Land.

“Together, Cincinnati Recreation Commission and Cincinnati Parks play a critical role in contributing to a healthy lifestyle through enhancements to the physical, social, and mental health aspects of our communities. We are delighted to be recognized as being in the top 10 cities that

have accessible parks and recreational spaces as an essential City resource that enhances our citizens quality of life.” Daniel Betts, Director of Cincinnati Recreation Commission.

Parks have a long and distinguished tradition in Cincinnati. The city is fortunate to have a robust and thriving system of parks dating back to the 1860’s with the development of Washington, Hopkins, Eden and Piatt Parks. In 1907, George Kessler, Landscape Architect created Cincinnati’s first park master plan to lift the city out of the dirty environment created by the Industrial Revolution. As a result, many have described Cincinnati as being created as a city within a park.

Today, Cincinnati’s Parks consists of 5,000-plus acres of city parklands including 5 regional parks, 70 neighborhood parks, 34 natural areas, 6 neighborhood nature centers, 30 sites managed by the Cincinnati Recreation Commission, 5 parkways, 16 scenic overlooks, 2 arboretums and 65 miles of hiking and bridle trails.

A big part of the success of Cincinnati Parks is due to the tremendous work of community and business partners with the Cincinnati Parks Foundation, the official philanthropic partner for Cincinnati Parks, leading the way.

The complete Trust for Public Land rankings may be found here.