Everyone deserves a great park close to home. It was that belief that led the National Recreation and Park Association, The Trust for Public Land (TPL) and the Urban Land Institute (ULI) to launch the 10-Minute Walk campaign in October 2017. Since the campaign’s launch, nearly 200 mayors have signed on, committing to improving park access and quality in their cities.
Since October, cities have been acting on this bold vision. In April 2018, NRPA announced the first 12 cities to participate in technical assistance for the 10-Minute Walk campaign. Led by their mayor’s commitment, these cities demonstrate innovation and ingenuity through their approaches to create, connect, enhance and activate parks and open spaces. The first cohort of grantees represents a range of geographic diversity, city size, bipartisan municipal leadership and local partnership support. They are as follows:
Mayor Francisco “Frank” Moran (D), Camden, New Jersey
(Population 77,000; 94 percent within a 10-minute walk)
As a post-industrial powerhouse subjected to decades of economic decline and an accompanying disinvestment in its park system, Camden is focusing its efforts on reinvigorating and growing its park system. The city is dedicated to investing in its existing parks through community-led design processes, unlocking its expansive waterfronts through the creation of riverfront parks and trails, activating its parks and closing the gap on park access. Mayor Francisco “Frank” Moran explains: “High-quality parks are a critical component of the social, environmental and economic health of Camden’s neighborhoods. Through a dynamic collaboration of dedicated governmental, nonprofit, private-sector and community-based partners, Camden continues to build the park system that our residents deserve.”
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