Growing up in Tucson, parks were the heart of our family gatherings – a spacious spot for my large extended family to come together. I’ll have to admit that keeping track of everyone was a challenge! But it was always safe to call someone prima/primo (cousin) or Tío/Tía (aunt/uncle). I have some wonderful childhood memories of these outdoor family picnics that marked birthdays, holidays, and special occasions: swinging at piñatas, blind-folded and dizzy; hunting for colorful painted eggs while dodging prickly cactus; pretending to mine for gold in the trickling desert streams with my cousins; and my Tío Mico’s infectious laughter ringing in my ears as the smell of my Tío Juan grilling carne asada filled the air. For me, parks were not just green spaces; they were the backdrop for celebration, play, exploration, and most importantly, family.
In my work supporting Safe Routes to Parks, I’m continually reminded how essential parks are, no matter where you live or how big or small your community is. They are vital places for people to experience nature, stay active, and connect with one other. Yet, not everyone has easy access to quality parks, and even when they do, getting to them can be a challenge. Lack of sidewalks and paths, unsafe crossings, and fast-moving cars can make it difficult to walk, bike or roll to local parks. This is especially true in low-income communities and communities of color. But there is a silver-lining. These circumstances present a tremendous opportunity to forge a new path. By really understanding what communities’ value and want, we can create parks and routes to/from them that feel inviting and safe.
Figure 1: In July, youth and families from Boulder Meadows held a naming ceremony to unveil the name of their future park: Primos Park.
Credit: City of Boulder
I’ve been truly inspired by our recent cohort of Colorado Activating Communities who are making great strides in engaging their communities to address challenges to park access. In Boulder, partners have been bringing to life a vision for a park that truly reflects the local culture and values. Last year, City of Boulder Parks and Recreation teamed up with the non-profit PLAY Boulder to kick off an exciting project for a new park on a beautiful nine-acre site in North Boulder next to the Boulder Meadows, the city’s largest manufactured home community. From the start, the planning team has centered engaging youth and families in Boulder Meadows, a vibrant community of primarily Latino residents as well as Nepalese residents. Their goal? To create a park that embodies the community’s values, offers fun activities and amenities that neighbors want, and fosters a sense of pride and stewardship. In July 2024, neighbors proudly unveiled the official name of the park: Primos Park. As the city’s first park with a Spanglish name, it reflects the blending of cultures and a strong sense of community among neighbors who feel like family. (Check-out Community Names New Neighborhood Park ‘Primos Park’ to hear directly from residents on the new park name.)
Yet, as the city engaged with neighbors on the park’s design, community members shared their concerns about safely getting there on foot, by bike, or using a mobility device. They highlighted everyday challenges they currently faced while navigating their neighborhood streets: neighbors pushing carts of groceries in the roadway due to the lack of sidewalks, the lack of curb ramps for people in wheelchairs, and the challenge of safely crossing a street that bisected their neighborhood. It became clear that for everyone to fully enjoy and access the new park, city partners would need to collaborate on planning safe routes as well.
In a previous blog post, we outlined a few of the ways that the City of Boulder had been working to identify these needs. They hosted a Safe Routes to Parks workshop with city staff, residents, and community partners like the local school and library; they completed an accessibility audit led by partners from the disability community; they leveraged the local Safe Routes to School program to maximize their planning efforts; and together, they created an action plan of short and long-term actions to address issues like speed and safe crossings.
Figure 2 During the park’s naming ceremony, city staff share some of the early actions they will be implementing to address safe route needs expressed by community members Credit: City of Boulder
Figure 3 Mobi mats were installed as temporary features to highlight future accessibility of Primos Park. Credit: City of Boulder
Since that workshop in April, city partners have hit the ground running! They’ve successfully lowered the speed limit near the park, installed speed feedback signs and added quick-build treatments like curb extensions to make intersections safer. Even more exciting, the city has proposed $7.5 million in their budget to improve a bridge crossing that will provide better access to the new park. While the budget is still awaiting approval this year, this is a strong step towards the city’s commitment to promoting equity and access.
Access to parks is not just about having green spaces; it’s about creating places that are easy and safe to get to and where everyone feels welcomed. During Hispanic Heritage Month, this is a perfect time to give extra recognition to the power of community in shaping our parks that invite everyone to experience the joys of nature, community, and belonging.
Figure 4 The City of Boulder Parks and Recreation hired a Mexican Mestiza artist to work with the neighborhood youth to paint, build and install two temporary park entrance signs with the new park name. Members of city council join Boulder Meadows in the naming celebration and pose with the sign. Credit: City of Boulder
Resources:
Actionable Public Health Strategies to Boost Community Well-Being with Safe Routes to Parks: New research findings from the Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) point to a measurable increase in physical activity when parks, greenways, and trails are coupled with at least one of these strategies: community engagement, structured programming, public awareness, and access enhancements. These are evidence-based strategies that improve park access and maximize investment in these spaces.
Safe Routes to Parks Walk Audit Toolkit: A walk, bike, or roll audit is a great place to start engaging community members on park access needs. This toolkit outlines steps to conduct a walk audit that will help improve safe access to parks for people walking and biking. It is also available in Spanish.