HomeMy WebLinkAboutOSRP Intro Section Suggested EditsTown of Barnstable OSRP Suggested Edits – Language for Intro Section
ORIGINS of PARKS & OPEN SPACE
The American parks movement finds its origins in the 18th-century English landscape tradition,
especially through Capability Brown, whose sweeping pastoral estates emphasized natural beauty,
recreation, and contemplative leisure as essential to health and well-being. These ideals seeded the
Rural Cemetery Movement in the United States, where early cemeteries such as Mount Auburn
Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts (1831) were designed not just as burial grounds, but as public
retreats for walking, picnicking, and passive recreation—providing the first landscaped green space
accessible to all. This notion of open space for public benefit evolved into more active recreation ideals
with conservationist Benton MacKaye, whose 1921 proposal for the Appalachian Trail envisioned a
continuous American recreational corridor for hiking, renewal, and social connectivity across the Eastern
U.S.
Simultaneously, the founding of The Trustees of Reservations in Massachusetts in 1891—the first
organization of its kind in the United States—mirrored the values of the British National Trust, protecting
land not just for its scenic or historic value, but explicitly for public enjoyment, recreation, and play.
Across all these examples, from designed landscapes to rugged trails, the parks movement has been
deeply intertwined with the idea that access to open space and nature is fundamental to human health,
civic identity, and joyful participation in public life.
In the mid-1800s, the urban parks movement emerged largely as a public-health response to the
overcrowded, unsanitary conditions of rapidly industrializing cities. Diseases such as cholera, typhoid,
and tuberculosis were rampant, prompting reformers to advocate for “lungs of the city” — green spaces
that offered clean air, sunlight, and moral uplift. Early examples included Boston’s Common (expanded as
a healthful promenade), Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park (protecting the city’s water supply), and New
York’s Central Park, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux in 1858. Central Park’s creation
famously displaced “Pigsville” and “Seneca Village,” poor and working-class communities, in an effort to
create a pastoral refuge thought to counter urban vice and disease through exposure to nature.
Today, Parks across the U.S. serve as vital cultural and community anchors, offering free, inclusive spaces
for public gathering, celebration, and expression. According to the Trust for Public Land, 93% of
Americans say it is important to have access to nature close to home, and parks are often the most
accessible and equitable way to achieve that goal (TPL, 2023). Parks host cultural festivals, local
performances, and community events that reflect and strengthen local identity, heritage, and cohesion.
They also foster social connections across age, income, and racial groups, helping to reduce social
isolation and build stronger, more resilient communities (TPL, "The Power of Parks to Strengthen
Community").
During the COVID-19 pandemic, open space proved to be a critical public health resource, offering safe,
accessible places for physical activity, mental health relief, and socially distanced gathering. As indoor
facilities closed and social restrictions intensified, parks, trails, and greenways became essential
sanctuaries—particularly in urban and densely populated areas where private outdoor access is limited.
Studies by the Trust for Public Land found that park usage surged nationwide, with some cities reporting
a 50–200% increase in visitation during the height of lockdowns (TPL, 2021).
Moreover, the pandemic highlighted deep inequities in access to green space—with low-income and
communities of color often living in areas with less parkland or overcrowded facilities. TPL’s ParkServe
data revealed that over 100 million people in the U.S. did not have a park within a 10-minute walk of
home, disproportionately affecting marginalized populations (TPL ParkServe). The pandemic thus
reinforced the urgent need to prioritize open space as essential infrastructure, not just for recreation,
but for resilience, equity, and public well-being in times of crisis.