What shapes uneven access to urban amenities? Thick injustice and the legacy of racial discrimination in Denver’s parks
Understanding the mechanisms that contribute to park access inequities is a critical step in resolving this environmental justice issue
Until recently, the environmental justice movement focused on hazardous environmental conditions that disproportionally impact people of color. Such conditions include air pollution, water contamination, and industrial toxins. While those concerns are still relevant, attention to the unequal distribution of positive environmental amenities (such as parks) is gaining momentum.
The aim of this study was to identify the political, economic, and cultural factors that precipitated – and continues to perpetuate – park distribution inequities in Denver, Colorado. The study included a review of public policy and planning documents, interviews with local planners and historians, and GIS (Geographic Information System) mapping. HOA (homeowners’ association) covenants, lending practices, and newspaper articles were also reviewed. The information gathered from these sources allowed for an in-depth case study of spatial disparities in park access in Denver from 1902 until 2015.
Results showed that “the distribution of urban parks in Denver has consistently benefited the city’s affluent white residents more than low-income people of color.” A study of the mechanisms behind this unequal distribution revealed factors that extend beyond the realm of park planning. In fact, “the majority of the most powerful and durable forces shaping these inequities fall outside the purview of park planners.” Some of the deepest and most persistent inequities in access to parks in Denver relate to “racially discriminatory land use and housing policies that shape where low-income people of color can live.” On the other hand, some residential location dynamics have actually contributed to recent gains in access to parks for people of color in Denver. For example, the movement of white residents from some park-rich neighborhoods on the urban edge of Denver has freed up these areas for African American and Latinx residents who were, until recently, not able to move into those areas.
The overall findings of this study indicate that Denver has not reversed park inequities created during earlier times. The results also call attention to the fact that providing new parks equally across all neighborhoods doesn’t always lead to equitable provision. Understanding the mechanisms that contribute to park access inequities is a critical step in resolving this environmental justice issue.
Citation
Rigolon, A., Németh, J., (2021). What shapes uneven access to urban amenities? Thick injustice and the legacy of racial discrimination in Denver’s parks. Journal of Planning Education and Research, 41(3),
