Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
Boston’s park system ranks third among the 60 largest cities in the country, according to the Trust for Public Land’s 2014 ParkScore Index.
The trust used mapping technology and demographic data to determine how well each of the cities is meeting the need for parks.
Minneapolis was ranked highest, followed by New York City. Portland, Oregon, and San Francisco joined Boston in third place.
The Trust for Public Land, a national nonprofit dedicated to open space conservation, used three criteria to measure park systems: acreage, services and investments, and access. Land must be owned by regional, state and federal agencies, and school playgrounds and greenways open to the public are included.
Each city was rated using a scorecard of park benches. One park bench means the park system needs improvement, while five benches means it is outstanding. Boston received a rating of 72.5 (out of 100), which equals four park benches.
In a press release, Mayor Martin Walsh said he is pleased with Boston’s ranking and “proud the we are a leader in access to parks, with 97 percent of residents living within 10 minutes of a park.”
The city has 4,916 acres of parks, or one acre for every 129 residents. At 393 acres, Franklin Park is the city’s largest.