2023 was also a milestone that marked the fifth year since the passage of the  Parks Legacy Fund  which has allowed substantial investments in alignment with the Game Plan’s guiding principles. Since 2018, DPR has expanded the urban and mountain park system by nearly 1,000 acres; invested $78 million in aging park assets with 70% of improvements in high equity need neighborhoods; enrolled 8,000+ new participants in outdoor recreation programs; and  much more . These accomplishments expanded convenient park access to more than 5,500 new households, helping DPR improve the  ParkScore®  rating from the Trust for Public Land to #13 in the nation. As we plan for the next five years of investments in 2024, I invite you to  get involved in setting priorities for this voter-approved 0.25% sales tax . 

• Every Drop is implemented by Adapting to the changing climate and growing population

Game Plan for a Healthy City is based on equitable access to quality parks and recreation facilities, which guides all operational and investment decisions. The Equity Index Map helps us identify which neighborhoods are most in need of improvements based on multiple factors such as park access, park investment, green space, population density, income, youth population and other health disparity indicators.

To support the health and wellbeing of every person in the city, Denver Parks and Recreation diversified its amenities and program offerings in 2023 to ensure equitable access to facilities and services that meet each community’s unique needs:  

Denver Parks and Recreation has inherited an extraordinary system of green space built through stewardship and multiple eras of innovative and intentional planning, design, and policy.  In 2018, Denver residents voted for the greening of our city with the passage of the  Parks Legacy Fund , a 0.25% county sales tax dedicated to the expansion and improvement of Denver’s park system. With this funding opportunity, we are positioned to grow the parks and recreation system guided by a lens of equity to close service gaps, increase access to nature, and ensure our community benefits from and preserves our legacy park system. The passage of the Park Legacy Fund is instrumental in our implementation of Game Plan for a Healthy City.