Albuquerque Parks Rank 23rd in Nation
May 24, 2023
TODAY – Albuquerque’s park system is now ranked 23rd in the nation, having climbed 11 positions in the 2023 ParkScore Index, a national ranking of parks in the America’s 100 largest cities. The ParkScore Index is issued annually by the Trust for Public Land (TPL), evaluating 14 measures across 5 different categories: access, investment, amenities, acreage and equity. In 2022, Albuquerque was ranked 34th.
“Albuquerque’s fantastic parks enhance our quality-of-life, create community, promote wellness, and support economic prosperity,” said Parks and Recreation Director Dave Simon. “We are committed to continual improvement and proud to see our national ranking improve.”
Albuquerque scored 61.1 out of 100 possible total points on the ParkScore Index to crack the top 25. The City scores especially well when it comes to “Acreage” and “Access.” With 91% of the population living within a half-mile of a park, Albuquerque has one of the highest scores in the nation for this measure (the national average is 55%). Albuquerque saw the most improvement from 2022 to 2023 in the “Investments” category, scoring 41 points (a 9-point increase). Albuquerque spends $104 per capita on publicly accessible parks and recreation, about the national average in this category.
““Our investments into Albuquerque’s beautiful parks continue to improve quality of life for our residents, who enjoy access to fun, safe recreational facilities all across our city,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “I appreciate the hard work of our city parks and recreation employees and it is great to see those efforts recognized in this national ranking.”
The Parks and Recreation Department (PRD) also continues efforts to improve in the “Equity” category through increasing the amount and qualify of parks in neighborhoods of color and lower socio-economic levels. PRD has completed numerous small, medium and large projects at parks in under-served neighborhoods (e.g. Wilson, Bullhead, Daniel Webster, Singing Arrow; amenities and drinking fountain installations in many locations). PRD will also soon finish major Phase 1 renovations at Los Altos Park and Barelas Park, and get other highly-anticipated projects underway this Summer and Fall (Wells Park, Phil Chacon Park).
The complete ParkScore Index report can be found here: https://www.tpl.org/parkscore
The specific Albuquerque ParkScore data can be found here: https://www.tpl.org/city/albuquerque-new-mexico
About CABQ Parks & Recreation: The City of Albuquerque’s Parks and Recreation Department is responsible for maintaining nearly 300 parks, 143 miles of multi-use trails, more than 29,000 acres of Major Public Open Space, four municipal golf courses, and numerous aquatics and recreation facilities throughout Albuquerque. Hundreds of employees across six divisions within the Department take pride in ensuring Albuquerque residents have great facilities to foster a vibrant and healthy community.