Project Summary

The Park Equity Accelerator (PEA) Program has its foundations in both the survey responses we received from On the Table – which put the topic of parks and green space access in the top 5 of all responses – and the knowledge that access to green spaces are now and will become ever more critical to Lexingtonians’ health and wellbeing as we face the escalating realities of climate change in our communities.

Ideally, everyone in Lexington would live no more than a 10-minute walk from a thriving park or green space. Together, our team is working to understand how specific policies have led to the different experiences we may have in park and green spaces across the city, to build better relationships between LFUCG staff and residents, and, with the help of residents themselves, to recommend more inclusive and representative decision-making processes going forward.

This program is divided into three phases that will take place over the course of 15 months:

• Phase 1: Research: researching past and present parks planning. Hosting facilitated focus groups and informal listening sessions.

• Phase 2: Education and Assessment: analyzing green space access, facilitating community workshops with research from Phase 1, and guiding residents to imagine a better process.

• Phase 3: Transformation: developing a park representative program, leading convenings for residents and city staff, and developing a set of recommendations for funding, ordinances, and codes related to greenspaces.