HEALTHY PARKS, SCHOOLS and COMMUNITIES: Mapping Green Access and Equity for Southern California
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HEALTHY PARKS, SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES: Mapping Green Access and Equity for Southern California Los Angeles County | Orange County | Ventura County | San Bernardino County | San Diego County | Riverside County | Kern County | Santa Barbara County | Imperial County ABOUT THIS REPORT The City Project is proud to present this report, Healthy Parks, Schools, and Communities: Mapping Green Access and Equity for Southern California, which maps and analyzes park access and equity in nine counties in Southern California — Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, San Bernardino, Riverside, San Diego, Kern, Santa Barbara and Imperial — using narrative analyses, geographic information system (GIS) mapping tools, and demographic and economic data. Unlike other studies, which plot either green space or population, the maps in this report plot green space in relation to population and other metrics to measure accessibility, such as distance to the park. This report also provides multidisciplinary analyses of the vital benefits of parks and other green space to people and the environment. It describes the consequences of disparities in green access and the benefits that could be reaped in “park poor” and “income poor” communities if resources were fairly allocated. It concludes with recommendations for equitable investments in green space in California and the nation. The goal of this work is to combine research and analyses with effective outreach to provide concerned citizens, community groups, elected and other government officials, planners, funders, and other stakeholders with the best available information upon which to prioritize actions and decisions that positively impact green access for all. For more information on green access and equity in Southern California, or to download a copy of this report, as well as individual county reports in English and Spanish, please visit www.cityprojectca.org/greenjustice. ABOUT THE CITY PROJECT The mission of The City Project is to achieve equal justice, democracy and livability for all. The City Project carries out its mission by influencing the investment of public resources to achieve results that are equitable, enhance human health and the environment, and promote economic vitality for all communities. Focusing on parks and recreation, playgrounds, schools, health, and transit, we help bring people together to define the kind of community where they want to live and raise children. The City Project works with diverse coalitions in strategic campaigns to shape public policy and law, and to serve the needs of the community as defined by the community. The City Project is a nonprofit organization that has worked and published extensively over the past decade on equal access to parks and green space, transportation, and related issues at the intersection of social justice, sustainable regional planning and smart growth. AUTHORS Robert García, Executive Director, Counsel and Founder, The City Project Seth Strongin, Assistant Director, Policy and Research Manager, The City Project MAPPING AND DEMOGRAPHIC ANALYSES Amanda Recinos, Associate Director of GreenInfo Network, www.greeninfo.org. DESIGN Ben Duarte, Creative Director, Black Sheep Ink. www.blksheep.com. Cover photos: 1 Photo by Tim Wagner for Partnership for the Public’s Health (twagnerimages.com); 2 Ojai Valley Bike Trail | The City Project; 3 Anahuak Youth Soccer Association, Raul Macias Fusbol Court, L.A. River Center - The City Project; 4 San Jacinto Wilderness | The City Project; 5 Orange County Map; 6 Silverwood Lake | Creative Commons - I & A Travels; 7 Anza Borrego Desert State Park | The City Project; 8 Carpinteria | Creative Commons - Snap Man; 9 Kern County | Arvin, Courtesy of Maria Diaz (age 13) and Venice Arts. The City Project 1055 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1660 | Los Angeles, CA 90017 | (213) 977-1035 | www.cityprojectca.org FOREWORD 1 1. Foreword by The City Project 1 2. Foreword by The California Endowment 2 3. Foreword by the Rosalinde and Gilbert Foundation 3 4. Foreword by Kaiser Permanente 4 5. Foreword by The Kresge Foundation 5 6. Foreword by PolicyLink 6 7. Letter from The San Diego Foundation 7 I. INTRODUCTION 9 A. Development Patterns in Southern California 11 B. Green Access and Equity 11 II. A COLLECTIVE VISION 13 III. RESOURCE BONDS: DIVERSIFYING SUPPORT FOR AND ACCESS TO PARKS AND RECREATION 14 IV. GREAT URBAN PARK VICTORIES — AND CHALLENGES 15 A. Great Urban Parks 15 B. Keeping Public Lands Public for All 17 C. Transit to Trails 18 V. THE VALUES AT STAKE: WHY PARKS AND RECREATION MATTER 19 A. Physical, Psychological, and Social Health 19 1. Simple Joys 19 2. Physical Activity, Obesity, and Health 19 3. Personal Development, Academic Achievement, and Violence Prevention 20 4. Stress, Depression, and Mental Functioning 21 5. Recovery from Illness, and Stress 21 6. Social Cohesion – Bringing People Together 21 B. Climate Justice, Environmental Benefits, and Conservation 22 C. Spiritual Values in Protecting the Earth and its People 23 D. Economics, Green Jobs, and Wealth Creation 24 E. Equal Justice and Democracy 25 VI. Park, School, and Health Access 26 A. Los Angeles County 26 1. Overview 26 2. Access to Parks and School Fields 27 3. Childhood Obesity 28 4. Physical Education, Physical Fitness, Student Health, and Equal Justice 28 5. Inequities in Urban Parks, Programs, and Funding 29 6. River Revitalization 30 7. The San Gabriel National Recreation Area 32 B. Orange County 38 1. Overview 38 2. Access to Parks 39 3. Childhood Obesity and Physical Fitness Levels 39 4. Orange County Great Park 40 C. Ventura County 46 1. Overview 46 2. Access to Parks 47 3. Childhood Obesity and Physical Fitness Levels 48 D. San Bernardino County 54 1. Overview 54 2. Access to Parks 55 3. Childhood Obesity and Physical Fitness Levels 55 E. Riverside County 62 1. Overview 62 2. Access to Parks 63 3. Childhood Obesity and Physical Fitness Levels 63 F. San Diego County 70 1. Overview 70 2. Access to Parks 72 3. Childhood Obesity and Physical Fitness Levels 72 4. River Revitalization 74 G. Kern County 80 1. Overview 80 2. Access to Parks 81 3. Childhood Obesity, Health, and Physical Fitness Levels 82 H. Santa Barbara County 88 1. Overview 88 2. Access to Parks 89 3. Childhood Obesity and Physical Fitness Levels 90 I. Imperial County 96 1. Overview 96 2. Access to Parks 97 3. Childhood Obesity and Physical Fitness Levels 98 J. Native Americans in Southern California 104 1. Overview 104 2. Access to Parks, Childhood Obesity, and Physical Fitness Levels 104 3. Native American Cultural Heritage, Parks, and Schools 104 VII. DISPARITIES IN ACCESS TO BEACHES, MOUNTAINS, AND FORESTS 107 A. Beaches 107 1. Los Angeles County Beaches 107 2. Orange County Beaches 108 3. Ventura County Beaches 108 4. San Diego County Beaches 109 5. Santa Barbara County Beaches 109 B. Forests and Mountains 110 1. Los Angeles County Forests and Mountains 110 2. Orange County Forests and Mountains 110 3. Ventura County Forests and Mountains 111 4. San Bernardino County Forests and Mountains 111 5. Riverside County Forests and Mountains 111 6. San Diego County Forests and Mountains 111 7. Kern County Forests and Mountains 111 8. Santa Barbara County Forests and Mountains 111 9. Imperial County Forests and Mountains 111 VIII. THE HISTORY OF DISCRIMINATORY ACCESS TO PARKS AND RECREATION 112 A. Discriminatory Housing and Land Use Patterns 112 1. Legal Developments 112 2. Los Angeles County 113 3. Orange County 113 4. Ventura County 114 5. Inland Empire: San Bernardino and Riverside Counties 114 6. San Diego County 115 7. Kern County 116 8. Santa Barbara County 116 9. Imperial County 117 10. Native American Lands 118 B. School Segregation 119 C. Parks and Pools 120 1. “International Day” in Los Angeles 120 2. The Plunge in Orange County 120 3. Las Piedras Park in Ventura County 120 4. Chicano Park and Barrio Logan in San Diego 120 5. The Bath House in Santa Barbara 121 D. Beaches 121 1. Bruces’ Beach 121 2. Malibu 121 3. Pacific Beach Club in Orange County 121 E. Mountains 121 IX. LEGAL JUSTIFICATIONS FOR EQUAL ACCESS TO PARKS AND RECREATION 122 X. METHODOLOGY FOR MEASURING PARK ACCESS AND EQUITY 124 A. Standards to Measure Access and Equity 124 B. Patterns of Racial and Ethnic Disparities 124 C. Distance to the Park 124 D. Safety and Perceptions of Safety 124 E. Cultural Diversity in Parks and Recreation 125 XI. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR GREEN SPACE AND EQUAL JUSTICE 125 XII. CONCLUSION 126 XIII. CITATIONS 127 Los Angeles State Historic Park | The City Project FOREWORD BY THE CITY PROJECT The City Project presents this report on Healthy Parks, Schools and Communities: Green Access and Equal Justice for Southern California. The City Project has worked for over ten years to broaden access to parks and open space in underserved communities; to provide quality education including physical education and healthy food at school; to address related human health concerns from an equity perspective; and to advocate for green jobs and economic justice. This report provides people with information to take action to create healthy communities for all. Where we live, the color of our skin and the amount of money we have has an enormous impact on our health. Access to parks, physical education in school, healthy food, and economic vitality can help improve everyone’s health and eliminate unfair disparities. This report, and others in the series on individual counties in Southern California, is made possible in part by the generous support of our major donors. Dr. Anthony Iton of The California Endowment