December 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 44

were disappointed in the reduced areas
to picnic and relax after the renovation.
This tree removal may have
reduced shade, but as mentioned,
the change improved sightlines near
a four-way stop intersection.
Surrounding Property Values
Proximity to park and recreation
areas is correlated with increases in
property values. Hipp's evaluation
team calculated the property value
(land plus improvements) for 2,236
properties within one-half mile of
both ABC Park and the matched
park in both 2018 and 2021, as property
values are updated every three
years in Baltimore. Property values
in the neighborhood surrounding
ABC Park increased an average of
$6,227 (38 percent) from $16,498 to
$22,722, representing about a $14
million property value increase for
all properties within one-half mile.
In comparison, average property
values in the neighborhood surrounding
the matched comparison
park increased an average of $4,724
(32 percent) from $16,610 to $21,334,
$1,503 less than in the ABC Park
neighborhood. In sum, the greater
increase in property values around
ABC Park compared to the matched
park neighborhood is equivalent to
$3.4 million more in property values.
Reported Crime
ABC Park also experienced decreases
in reported crime against persons
and property post-renovation
to a greater extent than the control
park. The neighborhood surrounding
the park within one-half mile
experienced a reduction of 67 reported
crimes against persons per
year from pre- to post-renovation,
compared to a reduction of 21 reported
crimes per year in the control
park. Crimes against property
also decreased by 150 reported
A greater increase in property
values around ABC Park is
equivalent to $3.4 million more in
property values than for the
matched park.
ABC,
$22,722
Match,
$21,334
$16,498
$16,610
2018
crimes per year in the area surrounding
ABC Park, compared to
a reduction of 70 crimes per year
in the control park area. While establishing
this crime reduction as a
direct result of the park renovation
is not possible, this trend shows
positive improvement in objective
safety metrics post-revitalization.
Challenges and Limitations
In part resulting from the COVID-19
pandemic, necessary adjustments
to this evaluation plan and limitations
of results are important to
note. First, no data were collected
between December 2019 and October
2020, the first full year after the
park was opened. Because of these
challenges, data were not always
collected at the same time of year,
as would be ideal for comparisons,
but was a necessary adjustment.
Delays in some parts of the renovations
also were extended by the
pandemic. These delays caused notable
frustration among community
members. Importantly, park and
recreation programs and services
were not part of the PBC project
(nor the evaluation), and the community
recognized and lamented
this lack of community programs in
their revitalized neighborhood park.
2021
Another challenge resulted from
noticeable turnover in neighborhood
residents. Many of the parents
who talked to the evaluation team in
2021 and 2022 had not lived in the
neighborhood prior to the park revitalization
and could not comment
on the changes since 2018. Those
who could reflect on the time before
the renovation were positive about
the amenity upgrade. Unfortunately,
those same people expressed a loss
of community because of the reduction
in programming at the park.
In short, combining physical park
renovations with programs, services
and maintenance can extend community
benefits and bolster thriving
gathering places for diverse community
members. The last PBC site is
Lynnbrook Park in Chattanooga,
Tennessee, with current plans for
completion in 2024.
Authors' Note: Thank you to BCI
Burke Company, the sole sponsor of
this five-year evaluation of the 2019
Baltimore PBC project.
Dianne Palladino, Ph.D., is the Director of Evaluation at
NRPA (dpalladino@nrpa.org). Aaron Hipp, Ph.D., is Professor
in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism
Management and Associate Director of the Center for
Geospatial Analytics at North Carolina State University
(jahipp@ncsu.edu). Austin Barrett, Ph.D., is the Senior
Evaluation Manager at NRPA (abarrett@nrpa.org).
PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G | DECEMBER 2 0 2 3
| Parks & Recreation
45
Base property value
within a one-half
mile of parks
December 2023 - Parks & Recreation

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