North Texas city’s parks ranked among the best in the nation, report finds

The Arbor Hills Nature Preserve. Oak Point Park. Chisholm Trail. Plano is known for its robust parks system, which has more than 80 parks and around 100 miles of trails.
A report by the Trust for Public Land found Plano’s investments in parks may attract more workers and companies, strengthening the local economy.
The nonprofit committed to park access said in its report that cities that invest in parks have a more diverse workforce and attract businesses, which contribute taxes, spur development and encourage investment.
The Trust for Public Land ranked Plano best in the state and 16th in the country for its parks system. More than 80% of Plano residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park, according to the organization.
Get the latest breaking news from North Texas and beyond.
Or with:
By signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
“To be able to claim that we have the number one park system in the state of Texas, that’s a big draw for companies looking to find another location,” said Doug McDonald, the city’s economic development director.
Plano increased investments in parks by 37% between 2011 and 2021, the report states. The city invested $202 per resident in parks, while the national was $131.
The city also has a business-friendly environment, the report states. Its history of suburban-style business parks hosting corporations like JCPenney and Electronic Data Systems has led to a redevelopment trend. Mixed-use districts replacing old developments are changing the city’s residential and commercial landscape.
The Trust for Public Land’s report found the city sees this redevelopment as an opportunity to incorporate more parks and open space within city limits. For example, the Texas Research Quarter redevelopment plan at the former Electronic Data Systems campus, supported by the city, includes plans for a 9-acre park.
“Plano has been able to reimagine [office parks] alongside the private sector and actually create change and create enlivened spaces,” said Bianca Clarke, an associate vice president at the Trust for Public Land. “It’s making Plano more attractive to real estate, to employers, to employees, to families.”
The organization’s report looked at five cities where investments in parks per acre are more than twice the average among the country’s 100 most populous cities. In addition to Plano, HR&A Advisors, a real estate and economic development advisor firm, studied Atlanta, Boston, Minneapolis and Boise, Idaho.
Parks drive economic development, the report found. Local public park and recreation agencies in the U.S. generate over $201 billion in economic activity and support almost 1.1 million jobs, the Trust for Public Land reported.
The nonprofit reported Plano and other cities that invest heavily in parks see more demand for real estate development and private investment, which contribute to the cities’ tax base. They also attract and retain a diverse workforce and more highly educated residents, which in turn attracts more companies to the area, the report says.
Of the cities studied, all had thriving economies. Plano experienced a 10% job growth rate and a 37% increase in startups since 2011.
The report raises the question of whether economically prosperous communities invest more in parks because they have more resources or if cities’ investments in parks support their economic growth.
It seems to be a mix of both, “a virtuous cycle,” Clarke said. A thriving economy boosts the city’s capability to invest in parks, which in turn contributes to economic development in the city.
“What we want to continue to study is at what point do things get triggered from each other?” Clarke said.
Clarke said the report found investments in parks are associated with economic prosperity. It did not prove, however, that better parks directly lead to a better economy. That causation is the “missing puzzle piece” that she hopes to look into next to understand how parks contribute to communities.
Ron Smith, Plano’s director of parks and recreation, sees both a direct and an indirect economic impact from parks. They can increase property values for residents who live close by, he said. They can also improve quality of life.
“Employers are expressing this need [for parks] because they know it attracts quality employees,” Smith said. “You’re getting a social benefit. You’re getting a health benefit. Healthier people feel better. … They probably are better employees.”
Post-pandemic dynamics may also be at play. With more jobs going remote, fewer people are constrained by their employer’s location in deciding where to call home. Parks may make a city more attractive at a time when where you work is more flexible than ever, the report said.
“Since the pandemic, we’ve seen a huge interest in quality developments and amenities to the office parks … that the workers are willing to come back to the office for,” McDonald said. “[Parks] have contributed to a lot of our companies wanting to come and invest here in Plano.”