Community advocates can help bring plans to life. While there are many ways that neighbors and residents can help to improve safe, equitable park access, this fact sheet provides four examples of how community advocates can participate in the implementation of Safe Routes to Parks efforts and highlights stories of advocates using these strategies.
Depending on the type of implementation activity, Safe Routes to Parks advocates can serve in a supportive or leading role to to help make tangible improvements to park access in their community. Who takes the lead in a given effort typically depends upon the type of implementation strategy area; for example, engineering and design efforts are often led by a parks agency or local government, whereas programming can be facilitated by a community-based organization. Neighbors and residents can help make a difference on the ground by advocating for desired changes, helping raise money, volunteering their time and energy, and helping to evaluate the impact of Safe Routes to Parks improvements.
