City of Fort Worth Texas issued the following announcement on Feb. 10
Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker has joined the Mayors for Parks Coalition, a coalition managed by City Parks Alliance, as co-chair of the coalition. The national bipartisan coalition was created in 2013 and includes mayors from large and small cities across the country who advocate for increased federal funding for the nation’s urban parks.
“I am excited to continue Fort Worth’s work with City Parks Alliance and serve alongside Mayor Hancock as co-chair of this important coalition,” Parker said. “Parks and greenspace are foundational to building thriving communities, but without adequate support, parks cannot provide the ongoing health and environmental benefits that communities need. I look forward to working with Mayors for Parks to continually improve access to quality parks and recreation opportunities for every neighborhood in Fort Worth and in cities across the nation.”
Parker will co-chair Mayors for Parks alongside Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock.
"I am thrilled to hear that Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker will be joining me as co-chair of City Parks Alliance's Mayors for Parks Coalition. Mayor Parker understands the true value of city parks and the health, economic and environmental benefits that they provide, particularly during this pandemic,” Hancock said. “I look forward to working with Mayor Parker as the Mayors for Parks Coalition continues to advocate for increased federal investment in our nation's city parks, especially for our most vulnerable neighborhoods.”
Currently, the Mayors for Parks Coalition supports the Parks, Jobs, and Equity Act, introduced in Congress in 2021, and the coalition also advocates for increased funding of the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership, a program funded through the Land & Water Conservation Fund. The Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership is a national competitive grant program that delivers funding to urban areas with priority given to projects in underserved communities. These awards help urban communities create new outdoor recreation spaces and renovate existing ones.
“Mayor Parker knows the critical role that parks play in improving the health and vitality of Fort Worth, and we are thrilled to have her join our Mayors for Parks Coalition,” said Catherine Nagel, City Parks Alliance’s executive director.
The Mayors for Parks Coalition had a historic win in 2020 when the Great American Outdoors Act was signed into law. The law provides $900 million in permanent and dedicated annual funding for the Land & Water Conservation Fund, which provides funding for national, state and local parks and is funded through revenues from offshore oil and gas drilling royalties, a portion of which is matched by state and local contributions – increasing the return on investment without using federal tax dollars. The Land & Water Conservation Fund has supported more than 44,000 projects in 98% of the nation’s counties.
Learn more about City Parks Alliance's Mayors for Parks Coalition.
Original source can be found here.
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