changelabsolutions.org 1 Introduction Most people with a neighborhood park can name what they do or do not like about it, but they might not be able to say much about other parks in the city, county, or area where they live. Within any jurisdiction, parks can vary greatly. Affluent neighborhoods typically have higher-quality parks that are well maintained and better funded, compared to low-income areas that often have greater needs and fewer resources.1 Complete Parks is a way of thinking about a parks system as a comprehensive whole — its strengths, issues, and inequities — and takes into account communities’ needs in relation to parks or the lack of parks, the context of various neighborhoods, and other interconnected systems and institutions. Assessing a parks system is one of the first steps in creating a Complete Parks system. By using the best available data on local priorities, assets, and context, a city, county, or town can make decisions based on a deeper understanding of what is actually happening in communities, rather than relying on assumptions or guesswork. Assessing a parks system helps identify priorities, inform a strategic planning process, and reveal patterns of inequities that should be addressed and remedied. Complete Parks Indicators presents indicators and sample metrics for assessing a parks system. Specifically, it examines the 7 Complete Parks elements: Engage, Connect, Locate, Activate, Grow, Protect, and Fund. When addressed together, these 7 elements result in a Complete Parks system that • Provides all residents with easy access to a great park that fulfills each community’s needs for nature, open space, and recreational activities, recognizing that there is no one-size-fits-all solution; • Closes the gaps in parks access and quality by improving parks in neglected places and increasing park area for groups with the least access and the greatest need; and • Supports health and health equity by incorporating holistic health into how parks are distributed, operated, and used by people and communities. Complete Parks helps creates the conditions for all people to attain their full health potential by considering how the Complete Parks elements can improve or undermine health. Developed for local government staff, this document introduces the 7 Complete Parks elements, presents indicators and sample metrics for each element, and provides guidance for multi-disciplinary groups on how to collect the data.
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