Rejuvenating Neighborhoods and Communities Through Parks—A Guide To Success www.NRPA.org National Recreation and Park Association © 2011 All Rights Reserved 13 Demographics • Current neighborhood makeup • Changes over time • Trend projections Key Issues Identification • Health data and trends • Crime data and patterns • Environmental issues • School attendance and success • Economic and employment Assessment of the Park and Neighborhood • Size and condition of the park • Issues or concerns of the neighborhood Issues Identification Analysis of the gathered data helps to determine the major issues within a community This analysis is particularly critical when the park project or renovation has as its intended outcome the rejuvenation of a community Often the data and statistics specific to the neighborhood under study can be compared with similar information and descriptors gathered from nearby neighborhoods or similar communities Data gathered nationwide suggests that neighborhoods and communities across the country are being challenged by a number of social issues, many of them with serious economic implications Some issues have their roots in national statistics related to high school dropout rates, levels of obesity among youth and adults, and the increasing costs of medical care for chronic diseases associated with obesity When national, state, and community data are reviewed in light of local issues around community safety and youth development, a picture of the issues within an area begins to take shape In other words, the identified issues, along with their underlying causes, form the basis for the park project One Park’s History—Discovery Green in Houston Every neighborhood and its parks have a history. By paying attention to these histories, we gain greater understanding of their condition as well as clearer understanding of the opportunities, strengths, constraints, and issues for the neighborhood and its parks. As an example, here is the history and timeline of one urban area and its green space. Discovery Green in Houston is a 12-acre urban park that functions similarly to a city green. The long history of this urban space is enlightening for envisioning its potential for that community. 19th Century The area now known as Discovery Green was high-end residential housing in Houston. 20th Century Residential housing gave way to the construction of a railroad station, which soon attracted industrial operations. The area remained industrial for many decades. 1970s A gas pipeline company, Texas Eastern, acquired 32 downtown blocks in east Houston. It then developed Houston Center, a mixed-use commercial complex with office buildings, a shopping complex, a luxury hotel, and substantial surface parking. The intent was to encourage businesses to relocate to the edge of downtown, but Houston Center struggled in this effort. 1980s The George Brown Convention Center opened in that area in 1987, again hoping to drive business and people to the area. 2000s The city of Houston purchased undeveloped land and green space as part of a legal arrangement not related to the site or the project. A portion of the green space was the Houston Center Gardens, which was owned by the Houston Center. By 2004, Houston Center announced plans to sell the undeveloped property including Houston Center Gardens. Concerned that the green space could be lost to the city forever, some foundations contacted Mayor Bill White in hopes that the land could be preserved as a permanent park. Funding from the Brown Foundation and the Kinder Foundation, coupled with city funds, was used to purchase nearly 12 acres to create this park. Today Both the mayor and the Houston City Council insisted that the public play a large role in the development of this space. The end result was Discovery Green, which serves as a village green for the city of Houston. As a result of this public-private partnership between the city of Houston and the nonprofit Discovery Green Conservancy, Discovery Green welcomed more than 1.5 million visitors and hosted more than 800 public and private events in its first two years of operation. Source: Discovery Green, www.discoverygreen.com
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