Parker Leavitt

The Republic | azcentral.com

Despite having one of America's 10 best playgrounds in Mesa and some of the nation's sunniest weather, Phoenix-area cities failed to impress in a study of public-park systems across the U.S., according to a San Francisco-based advocacy group.

The Trust for Public Land, a non-profit that pushes for park development, recently ranked the nation's largest 100 cities based on park access, size and funding. No Valley city landed in the top 40. Minneapolis took the top spot, followed by St. Paul, Minn., and Washington, D.C.

Scottsdale ranked highest in Arizona but came in at No. 41 nationally, followed by Phoenix (49), Glendale (55), Chandler (71), Tucson (83) and Mesa (91). Gilbert was not included because a significant number of the town's parks are privately owned by homeowners' associations, according to the group.

Valley cities generally scored well for the size of parks, including Scottsdale's 30,000-acre McDowell Sonoran Preserve and Phoenix's 16,000-acre South Mountain Park. They fared worse for public access — only 45 percent of Phoenix residents live within a half-mile of a city park, for example, well below the national average of 68 percent.

Among the six Arizona cities, only Scottsdale and Phoenix spend more annually on their park systems than the national median of $82 per resident, according to the study. Scottsdale spends about $115 per capita, while Phoenix spends about $88. Glendale was lowest in the Valley, spending about $39 per resident.

"In the Phoenix area, the housing crisis hit hard, some municipal budgets were cut and cities had to pull back," Trust for Public Land researcher Abby Martin said. "Across the country everybody suffered, but the cities at the top (of the rankings) are continuing to make parks a priority."

Here's a closer look at how Arizona cities scored in the Trust for Public Land study.

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Scottsdale

Scottsdale's large median park size of 13.5 acres helped the city earn a "park score" of 56.5 out of 100, good enough to tie New Orleans for 41st in the nation. Nearly a quarter of land within city limits is reserved for parks, one of the highest percentages in the country.

The city scored poorly for the number of basketball hoops and playgrounds, perhaps a reflection of the community's age. Just 18 percent of Scottsdale residents are younger than 18, compared with 26 percent statewide and 24 percent nationally, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Only 37 percent of Scottsdale residents live within a 10-minute walk of a public park, which was the lowest number among Arizona cities.

Phoenix

Like Scottsdale, Phoenix's score of 51.5 out of 100 was boosted by a large median park size at 14.6 acres. About 15 percent of the city's land is set aside for parks. Phoenix tied Baltimore for the 49th best score in the country, edging out Atlanta and Miami.

A relatively-low number of basketball hoops, playgrounds, dog parks and recreation centers hurt Phoenix's score, with less than one public basketball hoop for every 10,000 residents. Philadelphia, which has a similar population, has four times as many hoops and recreation centers, according to the study.

Phoenix's most-visited park is South Mountain Park, popular for hiking and biking. Verde Park at Van Buren and Ninth streets is the city's oldest park, built in 1907, according to the Trust for Public Land.

Glendale

Glendale tied with Nashville and Orlando for No. 55 on the list with a score of 48.5 out of 100, helped by an above-average number of residents living within a half-mile of a public park — about 72 percent.

The West Valley's largest city also scored well for park facilities, with 4.7 basketball hoops and 4.1 playgrounds per 10,000 residents. City funding for parks, meanwhile, was among the lowest in the nation at $39 per resident, about a third of Scottsdale's budget, according to the study.

Chandler

Despite a ranking from Livability.com as one of the nation's top cities for families, Chandler came in at No. 71 for its public-park system, tied with Bakersfield, Calif.; Reno and San Antonio.

Chandler spends a below-average $66 per resident to fund its parks and has just 3.8 percent of its land reserved for parks, according to the study. The city's four dog parks makes it among the nation's most canine-friendly communities, but only 56 percent of the population lives within a half-mile of a city park.

Tucson

Tucson, the only Arizona city outside of metro Phoenix included in the rankings, tied with Santa Ana, Calif., for No. 83 on the list.

While the city's park funding is close to the national median at $81 per resident, Tucson scored poorly in nearly every category and has just 3 percent of city land designated for parks. About 56 percent of residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park, and the city has fewer than two playgrounds per 10,000 residents.

Mesa

Mesa's Riverview Park has received national accolades since opening in 2014, including recognition as a top 10 playground by USA Today and a No. 37 national ranking from Early Childhood Education Zone.

But the city's park system as a whole leaves much to be desired, according to the Trust for Public Land. Mesa's score of 34 out of 100 put the city at No. 91, tied with Hialeah, Fla.

Mesa spends about $70 per resident on parks, well below the national median, according to the study. Just 3 percent of the city is used for parks, and 0.2 recreation or senior centers per 20,000 residents put Mesa near the bottom nationally.

On a brighter note, 64 percent of Mesa residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park, including 66 percent of the population younger than 20 years old.