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Americans Want More Parks | 168
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Americans Want More Parks

New Poll Shows Support for White House Proposals

WASHINGTON, D.C.

 Recent survey results indicate that Americans will support federal budget proposals to preserve local green space in communities across the nation. The proposal will commit $10 billion in bonds to creating and restoring urban parks like the pictured Children's Fountain in Columbus, Ohio. Photo provided courtesy of NBBJ.

Eighty-eight percent of Americans consider having access to parks and high quality outdoor spaces either extremely important (77%) or very important (11%), according to a new Wirthlin Worldwide poll just released by the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA). Additionally, 85% of Americans would like to see more parks, outdoor recreation and community spaces in their area.

This poll result comes just as the White House has proposed spending an additional $1 billion in fiscal year 2000 to expand federal protection of critical lands across America, help states and communities preserve local green spaces, and strengthen protection for oceans and coasts. In addition, the budget proposal contains a $10 billion bond program to help communities preserve green space, reduce traffic congestion, protect water quality, and clean up abandoned industrial sites.

"It's wonderful to see our vision of a greener country embraced at the highest level-- especially just as we are entering our society's 100th anniversary, and are about to officially announce our 100 Parks, 100 Years program," explained Barry Starke, FASLA, President of ASLA. This charitable program, directed by Landscape Architects and ASLA chapters across the nation, will beautify America's neighborhoods, towns and cities, and create places for community life. The parks under consideration range from inner-city playgrounds to greenways, from civic gathering places to therapeutic gardens for seniors or disabled children.

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