By Rose H. Harvey
Dec 5, 2024

The recent election highlighted the divisions among voters in every part of the country. As a nation, we could use more investments in projects and programs that celebrate what we have in common — that give people from different backgrounds a shared, positive experience that builds a sense of community.

This is what parks do for America.

Some good news for local parks was recently announced by the National Park Service. With funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, the NPS made a record investment of over $250 million in grants for 54 projects across 24 states through its Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program. This funding is a game-changer for communities that have long lacked equitable access to local parks.

The grants will revitalize outdoor spaces, especially in disadvantaged areas, providing recreational opportunities that will also improve the mental and physical health of park visitors. Many projects have features that will add resilience to urban neighborhoods suffering from the impacts of climate change — excessive heat, flooding and other weather extremes. Another popular use for the funds is to add ADA-compliant accessibility features so that people of all ages and abilities can experience their local greenspaces. New and refurbished parks also often serve as anchors for economic recovery for distressed communities.

The most recent batch of grants announced by the National Park Service includes $4 million to build a new pool in North Tonawanda after the previous pool was closed due to safety concerns. Earlier rounds of funding produced transformative grants for New York City and Buffalo, revitalizing broken-down parks whose facilities were unusable.

The latest grant round received the highest number of applications in the program's history, underscoring the pressing need for sustained long-term funding for parks. To continue addressing the widespread lack of outdoor access in disadvantaged areas, we need enduring support.

A bill pending in Congress right now would achieve that. The Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act passed the U.S. House of Representatives in April with overwhelming bipartisan support. That bill includes a piece of legislation known as Outdoors for All, which guarantees the future of the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program.

Now it’s the Senate’s turn to take up the legislation and ensure that every community has the chance to thrive outside, no matter its ZIP code. In addition to enshrining the partnership program into law, the Outdoors for All Act will allow Indigenous tribes, economically disadvantaged municipalities and smaller communities to more easily access this vital funding. Many more cities and towns in New York would be eligible to compete for grants.

I urge Congress to act on the EXPLORE Act before the year is out. It represents a rare opportunity for a truly bipartisan measure that will enhance the health and happiness of communities across the country. It will create a future where equitable access to outdoor spaces is the norm, not the exception. 

Rose H. Harvey, former commissioner of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, is the executive director of the nonprofit New City Parks, newcityparks.org.

 ###