Tulsa fell 16 spots to 60th in the Trust for Public Lands’ fifth-annual city park rankings.
The ParkScore index grew from America’s 75 largest cities to its 100 largest. The rankings should stick to America’s 100 largest cities in the future. Tulsa tied for 60th with four other cities, earning 2.5 park benches on a 5 bench scale.
The Trust for Public Lands' Peter Harnik said access remains an issue, with just 56 percent of Tulsans living within a half mile of a park.
"We hope that all urban Americans can be within a 10-minute, half-mile walk of their closest park, even if it's a small neighborhood park, so that they can meet their needs easily and conveniently," Harnik said.
Tulsa has substantial room for improvement when it comes to park access and funding.
"We look at the spending, make sure that parks departments are budgeting enough money to keep their parks in tip-top shape, well-maintained and safe, and the spending's a little bit below average," Harnik said.
Harnik said the Gathering Place should boost Tulsa’s score at least a bit when it opens.
There is a bit of good news in the rankings.
"You're still way ahead of Oklahoma City, which came in 89th this year with 1.5 park benches," Harnik said.
Last year’s top three of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, and Washington, D.C., kept their perfect 5 bench scores.
