The Trust for Public Land Announces National Walk to a Park Day

The Trust for Public Land announced today that Sunday, October 10th, 2021 will be National Walk to a Park Day.  

“Public parks and green spaces are a community essentials,” said Bianca Shulaker, Director of the 10-Minute Walk Campaign at The Trust for Public Land. “Parks offer nearby residents a place to play, connect, and reap the benefits of the outdoors. That’s why National Walk to a Park Day on October 10th encourages us to walk to our local parks and appreciate all the benefits that green spaces offer communities.” 

Parks are an essential part of improving public health, protecting vulnerable communities from the impacts of the climate crisis, and building strong community cohesion. Yet, 100 million people, including 28 million kids, do not have access to a quality park within a 10-minute walk from home.  

The Trust for Public Land recently published a groundbreaking report detailing significant inequities in park space and distribution. Across the 100 most populous U.S. cities, residents of neighborhoods where the majority of people identify as Black, Hispanic and Latinx, Indigenous and Native American, or Asian American and Pacific Islander have access to an average of 44 percent less park space per capita than residents of neighborhoods that are majority white. Residents of low-income neighborhoods have access to 42 percent less park space than residents of high-income neighborhoods.  

The 10-Minute Walk Campaign, led by The Trust for Public Land and its partners, accelerates the creation of parks that that drive equitable, healthy, and thriving communities by calling on mayors to ensure that everyone in US cities have access to a quality park within a 10-minute walk of their home.  

One of the most recent cities to join the 10-Minute Walk Campaign is the City of Seattle, a national leader in parks and green spaces. Currently 97% of residents live within a 10-minute walk to a park, and Seattle is ranked #9 in the nation on ParkScore. Seattle is committed to increasing access to quality parks and closing the park divide by prioritizing park access in areas of the city where communities can benefit most from these open spaces. Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) has been tackling park equity and access through the acquisition of new parks and the expansion of existing parks, including a recent addition in the Rainier Valley. This site acquisition is a priority lot identified future park site in one of Seattle’s Equity Areas to serves those most in need, and is located near a light rail transit stop, a bus transit hub, a high school, and hundreds of affordable housing apartments. 

HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalWalkToAParkDay 

As part of this national day, celebrate with a walk to walk to your local park, but also encourage your community to support more public parks and green spaces. 

On National Walk to a Park Day, you’ll find many ways to celebrate. The first step is out to step out of your home! Invite family, friends, and neighbors to join you. Add events to make your day at the park fun and memorable: 

• Bring sporting equipment – frisbees, balls, gloves.  
• Pack a picnic lunch. 
• Host a community event. 
• Bring a book or arts materials. 

And don’t forget, public parks include playgrounds, beaches, trails, and some schoolyards. Capture your celebration in pictures and video and share them on social media, too. Tag them with #NationalWalkToAParkDay and @10MinWalk and join the conversation! 

NATIONAL WALK TO A PARK DAY HISTORY 

The Trust for Public Land launched the 10-Minute Walk Campaign on 10/10/2017, a movement that calls on mayors to ensure that everyone in U.S. cities has access to a quality park within a 10-minute walk of their home. By 2021, the Campaign generated nearly 300 pledges from mayors across the country to increase park access for its residents. That same year, The Trust for Public Land founded National Walk to a Park Day on October 10th to further the campaign and focus on the importance green spaces play in our lives. 

The Registrar at National Day Calendar proclaimed the first National Walk to A Park Day in 2021 to be celebrated on October 10th annually. 

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 within a 10-minute walk of 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.