
Mayor Strimling at HIs Thursday Noon “Strimling on the Street” Spot in Front of City Hall; While the Weather Holds.

A Dry River Bed 10/15/17 in the White Mountains of New Hampshire Where the Foliage is Subdued This Year.
Mayor Ethan Strimling and the City of Portland’s Parks, Recreation & Facilities Department has joined The Trust for Public Land, National Recreation and Park Association and Urban Land Institute in launching a “10-minute walk”parks advocacy campaign, establishing the ambitious goal that all Americans and all residents of Portland should live within a 10-minute walk (or half-mile) of a high-quality park or green space according to a press release issued this morning by city hall.
This bipartisan group includes 134 mayors from all across the country and represents cities large and small, including America’s four largest cities (New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston) and diverse communities across the country. The US Conference of Mayors, which represents more than 1,000 US mayors, also unanimously passed a resolution at the 85th Annual Meeting urging all mayors to actively pursue the 10-minute walk to a park goal.
“Parks and open spaces are critically important in Portland. We’re lucky to live in a city that has such wonderful options and is dedicated to preserving them,” said Mayor Strimling. “This mayor’s coalition is a great step forward to work together and ensure all American share a quality park within a close walk of home.”
“The Parks, Recreation & Facilities department is thrilled to support this campaign,” said Ethan Hipple, Portland’s Parks Director. “I”m proud to say that 87% of our population currently lives within a 10-minute walk of a park or trail.”
The campaign marks the start of a multi-year partnership with cities and mayors across the country. Beginning in 2018, the campaign-led by The Trust for Public Land in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association and Urban Land Institute – will be working with select cities across the country on measurable policies and strategies to advance the 10-minute walk vision.