The Trust For Public Land’s ParkScore Index ranked Irvine parks as the second best in California and the eighth best in the nation on May 4th, putting the city on the same level as cities such as San Francisco and Seattle. According to the city of Irvine, this is the seventh consecutive time that the city’s parks have ranked in the top 10.
The ranking is determined by a variety of factors. The trust relied on aspects such as access (parks located within a 10 minute walk for residents), acreage (the average size of a park, as well as the percentage of space dedicated to parks), investment (how much money goes into the parks on a per-resident basis), amenities (the types of activities that one can do within the parks that appeal to a wide variety of demographics, such as basketball hoops, and playgrounds) and equities (equal park access based on a person’s race and income). Each of these factors were then ranked on a 100 point scale. Irvine scored over 60 points on each category, with its highest statistic being its investment (at 93).
In addition to the ParkScore Index statistics, Irvine’s parks also boast other impressive percentages. According to the City of Irvine, 89% of residents live within a half mile of a park.
Irvine does not only offer the standard community park — the kind with a playground and athletic facilities. The parks include many other outdoor facilities for the community, from trails to bikeways and athletic fields.
Irvine’s master planned community designates places for locations like residential spaces, workspaces, and parks. Due to this system, it can determine exactly which areas need to go in specific places. This might contribute to several factors, such as access, as they can determine how close the parks need to be from the residential areas. From there, they might be able to pinpoint exactly what features the park needs based on the areas’ demographics. For instance, a park in a residential area with many families might emphasize its playgrounds (such as Bill Barber Memorial Park), while a park located near a senior center (such as Mike Ward Community Park) might lack that type of facility. But in general, many of the parks share similar types of facilities, a testament to Irvine’s status as a master-planned community.
Bailey Kanthatham is a City News Staff Writer. He can be reached at bkanthat@uci.edu.
