More than 100 million people do not have ready access to quality parks and recreation. The vision to build and revitalize parks as thriving gathering places for youth, families and adults is one shared by NRPA, our industry and non-profit partners, and the thousands of park and recreation professionals who develop and maintain these treasured public places.
Since 2009, NRPA’s Parks Build Community program has provided safe and inclusive parks and playgrounds to serve more than 40,000 people annually and exemplifies one of the ways NRPA ensures all people have fair and just access to the benefits of high-quality parks. Whether they are the site of family reunions, artistic performances, a pickup basketball game or innovative playground designs, these park and recreation spaces have generated neighborhood pride and given young and old a safe place to be physically active and enjoy community green space.
Parks Build Community represents a model private-public partnership. Contributions by NRPA and our partners enable local communities and park agencies to complete projects that improve the quality of life for all people, provide a lasting impact for years to come.
We invite you to partner with NRPA to elevate the role of close to home parks and recreation services and the professionals who make it happen.
Become a Parks Build Community Partner
Your contribution to Parks Build Community will help more people have access to quality park and recreation facilities that build healthly, safe and resilient communities for all. To become a partner, make a donation or donate equipment, please contact Nury Márquez at 703-858-2163 or by email.
NRPA’s 2021 Parks Build Community is revitalizing Lynnbrook Park in Chattanooga, Tennessee. With the 2022 completion of the project, Chattanooga’s Oak Grove community will have a central place where families and friends can gather and where children can play and discover the wonders of nature. The former empty lot with a history of flooding will feature a restored stream, natural and native plantings, rain gardens, new play equipment and spaces to gather.
The 2020 Parks Build Community project of Grand Avenue Park in Orlando, Florida marks the 10th NRPA Parks Build Community endeavor. Working with the City of Orlando Families, Parks and Recreation Department, portions of the park will undergo significant renovations as corporate donors and local companies come together to transform the area into a vibrant public space where residents of all ages can gather and play.
The 2019 NRPA Parks Build Community project of Catherine Street / ABC Park in Baltimore began in December 2018 with a groundbreaking ceremony. The park was completely rebuilt in 2019. The grand reopening was held at the 2019 NRPA Conference.
The 2017 NRPA Parks Build Community project is located along the Lafitte Greenway in New Orleans, Louisiana. Connecting the French Quarter to City Park, the greenway had been an essential travel and shipping corridor from the Mississippi River to Lake Pontchartrain for more than two centuries.
In 2016, NRPA partnered with Great Rivers Greenway, the regional parks and trails district in the St. Louis region, and the city of Wellston, Missouri to transform a vacant lot in to Trojan Park - a vibrant urban park known as Trojan Park.
The project to complete this park, located in Charlotte, North Carolina focused on improving access to the space and increasing recreation options to the neighbors of the park in this economically disadvantaged neighborhood.
This park, located in Houston, Texas features a nature-themed playground, trails, outdoor fitness equipment, and overlook access to the Bretshire Basin. Park enhancements honor the cultural roots and natural environment found in the community.
This jewel of a park in Los Angeles fills a need in the community for open space and play areas. The park includes a nature play garden, a 4,000 square foot playground, and an adult fitness zone. More than 5,000 kids live within two miles of the site.
Park enhancements to this Atlanta park included the installation of picnic tables, park benches, alternative outdoor games, game tables, and waste receptacles - as well as a picnic/grill area, new playground equipment, a corner plaza, refurbished multi-purpose field, and community garden area.
The first Parks Build Community project, focused on this Washington D.C. park and included the installation of a state-of-the-art playground for children. A park cleanup and beautification of the surrounding area was also completed.
How Can You Help?
NRPA is seeking continued support for the annual Parks Build Community initiative. To learn how you can help, please contact Nury Márquez at 703-858-2163 or by email.
