Sasaki associate principal Laura Marett, ASLA, PLA, LEED AP recently attended National Recreation and Park Association’s (NRPA) 10-Minute Walk event in Tacoma, WA as a park quality expert. Laura provided 10 grantee cities with information, tools, and connections that help city staff in their efforts to support equitable park access and quality in their community.
10-Minute Walk is a campaign initiated by the NRPA, the Trust for Public Land, and the Urban Land Institute to guarantee that residents in every city in the United States live within a 10-minute walk to a safe, quality public park. Over 220 mayors have signed the promise so far.
At the event, Marett began with a presentation on park quality with a focus on equity so participants could understand how to assess the quality of their current parks. She then shared a Pecha Kucha style presentation on design elements that facilitate park access and improve quality. To end, Marett facilitated discussions and provided direct guidance to cities as they put together their strategies to improve equitable access to quality parks in their communities.