Park Quality

Park Quality evaluates how cities are meeting the need for parks based on acreage, facilities and investment, and access. Research shows that there is a positive relationship between better health outcomes and proximity to well-maintained and accessible parks and green spaces. Residents who are spatially proximate to high quality parks report higher physical activity, lower incidence of type 2 diabetes and lower body mass index. Conversely, lack of physical activity is a central risk factor for many diseases. However, park accessibility and quality are not uniform across demographic groups. Low-income neighborhoods, which can potentially benefit the most from parks and green spaces, are less likely to live proximate to quality parks, and when new parks are built near such neighborhoods, they are at increased risk of gentrification. Thus, urban planning around adding and improving parks must be conscious of amplifying the benefits, and balancing potential pitfalls. The Park Quality indicator is derived using methods from “Parkscore®,” a comprehensive rating system developed by the Trust for Public Land, to create a score for parks at the neighborhood level. Data to create the score comes from the U.S. Census, City of Birmingham Capital Budget (FY 2015, ‘16, ‘17) and the parks database, provided by the Freshwater Land Trust.

Neighborhoodsort descending Indicator Value Rank
Acipco-Finley 60.1 -
Airport Highlands 0 -
Apple Valley 0 -
Arlington - West End 89.9 -
Belview Heights 26.1 -
Bridlewood 0 -
Brown Springs 65.8 -
Brownsville Heights 0 -
Brummitt Heights 45.8 -
Bush Hills 40.6 -
Central City 91.5 -
Central Park 81.7 -
Central Pratt 77.5 -
College Hills 56.3 -
Collegeville 74.2 -
Crestline 57 -
Crestwood North 92.7 -
Crestwood South 45.4 -
Dolomite 64.9 -
Druid Hills 75.9 -
East Avondale 57.9 -
East Birmingham 96.9 -
East Brownville 67.5 -
East Lake 74.4 -
East Thomas 96.3 -
Eastwood 72.9 -
Echo Highlands 48.3 -
Enon Ridge 61.7 -
Ensley 77.3 -
Ensley Highlands 74.5 -
Evergreen 56.3 -
Fairmont 53.3 -
Fairview 51.9 -
Five Points South 91.5 -
Forest Park 93.8 -
Fountain Heights 93.7 -
Garden Highlands 76.3 -
Gate City 62.3 -
Germania Park 77.9 -
Glen Iris 77.4 -
Grasselli Heights 45.8 -
Graymont 92.4 -
Green Acres 82.1 -
Harriman Park 61.3 -
Highland Park 73.8 -
Hillman 53.1 -
Hillman Park 44.8 -
Hooper City 60.8 -
Huffman 59.9 -
Industrial Center 61.5 -
Inglenook 49.7 -
Jones Valley 89.6 -
Killough Springs 47.5 -
Kingston 80.7 -
Liberty Highlands 30.1 -
Maple Grove 45.8 -
Mason City 94.6 -
North Avondale 73.9 -
North Birmingham 77.6 -
North East Lake 85.8 -
North Pratt 70.8 -
North Titusville 80.8 -
Norwood 94.8 -
Oak Ridge 45.8 -
Oak Ridge Park 18.1 -
Oakwood Place 80.8 -
Overton 31.7 -
Oxmoor 71.8 -
Penfield Park 31.7 -
Pine Knoll Vista 49.2 -
Powderly 57.6 -
Redmont Park 90.8 -
Riley 52.6 -
Rising - West Princeton 93.8 -
Roebuck 77.5 -
Roebuck Springs 76.9 -
Roosevelt 78.8 -
Sandusky 37.7 -
Sherman Heights 50.8 -
Smithfield 62.9 -
Smithfield Estates 50.1 -
South East Lake 68 -
South Pratt 43.8 -
South Titusville 45.6 -
South Woodlawn 38.1 -
Southside 69.6 -
Spring Lake 43.1 -
Sun Valley 0 -
Tarpley City 54.2 -
Thomas 63.5 -
Tuxedo 55 -
Wahouma 97.5 -
West Brownville 62.9 -
West End Manor 90.4 -
West Goldwire 58.8 -
Woodland Park 67.5 -
Woodlawn 55 -
Wylam 73.3 -
Zion City 48.3 -

Key Citations:
1. Auchincloss, A.H., et al. “Neighborhood resources for physical activity and healthy foods and incidence of type 2 diabetes (the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis)” (2009). Archives of Internal Medicine.
2. Cohen, D.A.et al. “Public Parks and Physical Activity Among Adolescent Girls” (2006). Pediatrics.
3. Humphrey, Nancy P. and Carrie I. Szlyk. “Does the Built Environment Influence Physical Activity? Examining the Evidence” (2005). Transportation Research Board, Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.
4. Kahn, E.B. “The effectiveness of interventions to increase physical activity” (2002). American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
5. Roemmich, J.N., et al. “Association of access to parks and recreational facilities with the physical activity of young children” (2006). Preventive Medicine.
6. Voicu, Joan and Vicki Been. “The Effect of Community Gardens on Neighboring Property Values” (2008). Real Estate Economics.