“Parks give people space to gather and build stronger communities that are better prepared to tackle social, health, and environmental challenges. But park systems aren’t created equally.”
HARTFORD, Conn. (August 13, 2024) – The Trust for Public Land (TPL), Blue Hills Civic Association (BHCA), and the Connecticut Green Bank are pleased to announce the release of a report that details the completion of a park assessment project for the City of Hartford conducted by paid youth interns through BHCA’s Summer Youth Employment Program in 2023. An informational webinar on the report will be held on Thursday, Aug. 15 from 2 – 3 pm.
This report consists of two parts: the assessment of all parks in Hartford and a comparison of the park system with other cities in the state and nationally to identify strengths and weaknesses. The detailed report highlights a systematic need for investment in Hartford parks, particularly in neighborhood parks. Overall, this report sparks a conversation about parks benefits, stewards, park development, and maintenance across Hartford public green spaces.
“Parks give people space to gather and build stronger communities that are better prepared to tackle social, health, and environmental challenges. But park systems aren’t created equally,” said Walker Holmes, Vice President of the Mid-Atlantic Region and Connecticut State Director at the Trust for Public Land. “Our ParkScore analyses provide community leaders with the information they need to improve their parks, close the park equity gap, and connect more people to the benefits of the outdoors. Trust for Public Land is committed to building partnerships like this one with Green Bank and BHCA to collect vital data and promote increased funding for parks and open space statewide.”
Over the course of the five-week project, the interns, ages 15 – 17, gathered data on the five key park metrics: acreage, access, investment, amenities (such as baseball fields, basketball courts, swings, and seating areas), and equity across Hartford’s 1,595 acres of parkland, approximately 14% of city area. This project adapts the ParkScore Index, a national comparison of the park systems across the 100 most populated cities in the United States, to Hartford, including a custom park asset and condition assessment.
“The Green Bank is excited to work with TPL and Blue Hills Civic Association on a ParkScore partnership that engaged and empowered the youth interns to assess enhancement opportunities for Hartford’s parks and recreation assets,” said Bryan Garcia, President and CEO of the Green Bank. “As the birth and burial place of Frederick Law Olmstead, and hub to the insurance industry, the community of Hartford should play a leadership role in the national conversation on green spaces, public health, and confronting climate change about the importance of investing in our parks.”
The project had three key deliverables: a customized park amenity and condition mapping of all parks based on assessments conducted by youth employed through BHCA; a Hartford Custom ParkScore report assessing how Hartford compares on five key metrics; and prioritization maps highlighting areas for park acquisition and rehabilitation with an equity lens.
As part of the program, the interns also received parks assessment specific training including the use of geographic information system (GIS) software from TPL and GIS Consultants, parks, planning and policy career talks from the Advisory Committee, as well as career competency training from BHCA.
“By engaging our youth to lead the condition assessment, this project empowered them to have their voices heard andconnected our youth to parts of their city that they’d never explored,” said Danielle Middlebrooks, BHCA’s Capacity Building Consultant. “This project was a tremendous success for our youth by pairing core career competency training with experiential learning and the opportunity to engage with professionals and technology in a new way. Through our partnership with TPL and the Green Bank we were able to enhance our youth’s ability to think critically and take an active role in the change they want to see here in Hartford.”
Photo: Blue Hills Civic Association
To access the report please visit www.ctgreenbank.com/hartford-parkscore.
To register for the informational webinar on Aug. 15, please visit https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/26641607730776157.
About Trust for Public Lands
Trust for Public Land creates parks and protects land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come. TPL is a national nonprofit that works to connect everyone to the benefits and joys of the outdoors. In Connecticut and across the country, TPL collaborates with communities to create parks and protect public land where they are needed most. The organization is committed to creating more places that bring people outside—parks, trails, playgrounds and public lands — and making them available and welcoming to everyone, everywhere. This project included both TPL’s Connecticut office and its ‘think and do tank’ – the Land and People Lab.
Learn more at www.tpl.org/
About Blue Hills Civic Association (BHCA)
The Blue Hills Civic Association (BHCA) is Hartford’s oldest civic organization, established in 1962. BHCA serves as a catalyst to inspire vibrant, healthy, civically engaged residents and leaders who are supported by strong schools, culturally competent health care, economic equality and safe neighborhoods. The organization accomplishes this by empowering people that live and work in the Blue Hills and surrounding communities to create stable and attractive neighborhoods through Youth, Family and Community impact. This impact includes serving more than 1,000 youth annually as the largest Summer Youth Employment & Learning Program (SYELP) Provider in the City of Hartford, as well as the lead Community School Provider at Weaver High School. BHCAalso provides employment training, internships, mentorship, youth organizing and extended-day learning programs to youth and young adults with the goal of building a dynamic workforce with in-demand skills.
Learn more at www.bluehillscivic.org
About the Connecticut Green Bank
The Connecticut Green Bank was established by the Connecticut General Assembly in 2011 as the nation’s first state-level green bank and has since supported the creation of more than 30,000 green jobs in the state, while reducing the energy cost burden on over 77,000 families, businesses, and nonprofits. The Green Bank’s vision is a planet protected by the love of humanity and its mission is to confront climate change by increasing and accelerating investment into Connecticut’s green economy to create more resilient, healthier, and equitable communities. This is accomplished by leveraging limited public resources to scale-up and mobilize private capital investment into Connecticut. In 2017, the Connecticut Green Bank received the Innovations in American Government Award from the Harvard Kennedy School Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation for their “Sparking the Green Bank Movement” entry. To date, the Green Bank has mobilized more than $3 billion into the State’s green economy. This has reduced the energy costs for thousands of families and businesses, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change and worsen public health.
Learn more at www.ctgreenbank.com.
