Will new ways to play change our city parks?

By Trust for Public Land
Published April 18, 2016

Will new ways to play change our city parks?

Each year, The Trust for Public Land wrangles stats on parks in the hundred most populous cities in the U.S. Want to know the largest city park in the country? Or the oldest? Or the most popular? It’s all inside 2016 City Park Facts, available for free download here.

The report also reveals which city ranks first in facilities like dog parks, basketball hoops, and swimming pools—common amenities we all recognize. But some park systems also include special features that reflect their visitors' particular pastimes: from shuffleboard courts serving Florida retirees to cricket fields popular with immigrant communities in New York City. 

That got us wondering: as interests change, will parks change, too? What facilities might appear in City Park Facts a few decades from now? The future's anybody's guess—but here are five up-and-coming activities we've seen gaining ground in parks across the country.

If you play an unusual sport at your local park, we'd love to hear about it. Leave us a comment, or join us on Facebook!

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