Richmond’s parks are punching well above their weight. 

This year, the city jumped from 22nd to 16th in the Trust for Public Land’s annual rankings of the park systems operated by the nation’s 100 most populous cities — a list widely seen as a reliable indicator of parks’ quality. 

“What it’s looking at is: What’s the best practice? What should you be doing for your residents? What should you be providing?” said Richmond Parks and Recreation Director Christopher Frelke. 

The rankings are based on how each city scores across five categories: access to parks, acreage, amenities, investment and equity. This year, Richmond fell between Pittsburgh and Plano, Texas. 

“Our parks are more than just green spaces — they’re where we reimagine what Richmond can be,” said Mayor Danny Avula in a statement following the scores’ release. “They come to life through the hard work of city staff and the deep commitment of community partners who are creating spaces for belonging, health, and joy.” 

Richmond scored particularly high on amenities thanks to an abundance of basketball hoops, playgrounds, permanent restrooms, senior and recreation centers and splash pads, although it lagged somewhat on dog parks, sports fields and diamonds. Access was another bright spot, with 81% of residents living within a 10-minute walk of a public park. 

So too was equity, which evaluates “fairness” in the distribution of parks between neighborhoods with different racial and income makeups. The Trust for Public Land found that in Richmond, residents of neighborhoods of color have access to more than double the amount of park space than residents of predominantly white neighborhoods. To a lesser extent, low-income neighborhoods also have greater access than higher-earning ones. 

“Everybody should have a 10-minute walk to a park because we know that those green spaces really help on so many different levels, from mental to physical health and overall quality of life,” said Frelke. 

Richmond scored lowest on acreage, a measure that looks at both the percentage of the city’s overall area that is devoted to parkland and park size, and investment. 

But growth is underway in both of those areas. 

Per capita parks and recreation spending rose over the past year from $135 to $186. New parkland is also coming onboard, including Mayo Island, which the city plans to transform into a meadow- and wildflower-heavy park in the center of the James River, and a 4-acre parcel on Dock Street. Four new and revamped community centers are being opened. And officials have announced plans to create a new “signature park” on 96 acres once owned by Philip Morris off Walmsley Boulevard in the Southside, although details haven’t yet been released. 

Frelke said Parks and Recreation sees particular promise for more parks in the city’s less developed Southside and continues to look for chances to partner with other organizations to find land that can be converted into green space. 

“You can always turn asphalt parking lots back into parks,” he said. 

Frelke gave much of the credit for Richmond’s rise in the rankings — the city came in 58th in 2018 — to what he described as a “rockstar team,” as well as partner organizations like the Capital Region Land Conservancy, Friends of the James River Parks and Capital Trees, and a citizenry that is passionate about parklands. 

“Sometimes we don’t celebrate how great this city is,” he said. 

Top 20 cities on the 2025 ParkScore

Contact Reporter Sarah Vogelsong at svogelsong@richmonder.org