Fresno voters understood the need to improve parks, and thankfully a key court did, too

As 2020 comes to a close, looking back on what helped me and so many others manage the stress of the coronavirus pandemic was having close-to-home parks to enjoy. Yet, more than 100 million people in our country, including 28 million children, do not live within a 10-minute walk to a quality park and open space. For communities of color, the park equity disparity is even greater. Across the United States, parks serving primarily Black, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander communities are half the size of parks that serve majority white populations, and serve five times as many people.

Local parks are not merely “nice to have.” They are essential for strong neighborhoods and healthy communities. Scientific research finds that parks, green space, and outdoor activity reduce anxiety, stress, and depression, and improve physical health. Local parks are responsible for 1.1 million jobs in the U.S., generating over $166 billion in economic activity.

The majority of voters in Fresno understood this when they went to the polls in 2018 and voted in favor of Measure P. This 3/8-cent sales tax measure was designed to create a guaranteed, local funding source for park creation, maintenance, improved safety and programming, with a focus on underserved areas. The Trust for Public Land commends the decision of California’s Fifth District Court of Appeal to uphold the will of the majority of voters in the passage of Measure P. With the court’s decision, Fresno is now able to boost citizens’ health and safety, and its local economy, by investing in parks and green infrastructure.

Public investment in parks is long overdue in Fresno. The Trust for Public Land annually ranks the park systems among the top 100 most populated cities, based on acreage, investment, amenities, and access. Fresno has historically been at or near the bottom of our annual index. Fresno ranked 92nd in 2020, with only 4% of land used for parks and recreation, compared to the national median of 15%; and Fresno’s public spending per resident is $59.84, compared to the California median of $98.15.

In 2018, I walked Fresno’s neighborhoods, knocking on doors and talking with voters about why Measure P was important. I asked voters to tell me their favorite childhood stories about parks, and their faces lit up as they fondly remembered celebrating birthday parties or quinceañeras, playing on the swings, or simply running free in grassy fields — memories that future generations of children will also enjoy thanks to the foresight of Fresno voters. I applaud community members and city officials for embracing Measure P and focusing on implementation. I suspect, in time, Fresno will be climbing up our park system rankings and showing the rest of the country how to invest and support park equity.

Fresno should be proud of this achievement. It represents the strength of community organizing and a commitment to make Fresno an even better place to live for families and neighbors. I hope other communities take note of what Fresno did.