- Newly Revamped Trafalgar Square Opens to Public
Building With minimal physical changes, the way people perceive and use the London square has changed dramatically. (July 4)
- Milwaukee Mayor Pushes for New Waterfront Community Center
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Mayor Kohlenberg envisions a new building with a concession area, boating facilities, and other public uses on what he calls “one of the most desirable pieces of waterfront in the city.” (July 8)
- Frank Gehry's Band Shell in Millennium Park, Chicago, Under Construction
Chicago Tribune The park’s band shell, which will feature a giant steel trellis over the 11,000-person seating area, will serve as the city’s primary outdoor performance center. (July 9)
- With Little Land for Open Spaces, Developers Turn Landfills into Parks
Chicago Tribune Turning landfills into recreation areas has been hailed as a great reuse of land, but isn't without environmental concerns. (July 11)
- Governor Pataki Threatens to Veto Water Filtration Plant in Bronx Park
Daily News Gov. Pataki will veto the project to build a water filtration plant in Van Cortlandt Park unless it includes measures that will “protect and benefit affected Bronx residents, local communities and the environment.” (July 16)
- Stretching from Oregon to Baja, California’s Coastal Trail is 60% Complete
San Francisco Gate A group of hikers are spending the summer hiking the entire length of California’s coast line to draw attention to the project. (July 16)
- Downtown Preservationists Set Their Sights on Manhattan’s High Line
Newsday Friends of the High Line envision the rebirth of this abandoned elevated freight track as an urban greenscape. (July 16)
- Hundreds of Neglected Parks in Wales Will Receive Funds for Renovations
icWales.co.uk The Heritage Lottery Fund will give millions of pounds to clean up hundreds of parks, some of which are in such bad condition, children are forbidden to play in them. (July 17)
- Study Notes Lack of Open Space in Illinois
The News-Gazette In East Central Illinois, where there is the lowest percentage of recreation land in the state, residents are willing to contribute funds to buy more. (July 20)
- Downsview Park, Toronto, Loses Land to Big Box Stores and Parking Lots
Toronto Star Downsview Park is in danger of losing even more land to commercialism, if redesign efforts continue to be delayed. (July 21)
- $124 Million Renovation Plan for Downtown LA Plaza
Los Angeles Downtown News The plan to turn Arco Plaza into a European-style piazza will restore vitality to the neglected plaza, and will create a downtown destination, hopes the new owner. (July 21)
- Governor Pataki Approves City Water Plant in Bronx Park
New York Times Gov. Pataki held out for assurances that the City would conduct the necessary environmental studies before building the water filtration plant in Van Cortlandt Park. (July 22)
- Open Space Funding Lacking for Slew of Urban Park Ideas in PA County
Express Times Of the $37 million bond, only $4 million is slated for municipal parks, not nearly enough for all of the proposed projects in Northampton County, PA. (July 23)
- New Pocket Park Being Built in Downtown Montpelier, VT
Barre-Montpelier Times Argus The Trust for Public Land is converting the front yard of its offices in Montpelier into a public courtyard with a wheelchair-accessible seating area, retaining walls with additional seating, a butterfly garden, and native plantings. (July 25)
- Study Finds Park Improvements Have Positive Effect on Real Estate Values
Gotham Gazette The accounting firm Ernst & Young studied 30 parks around New York City and determined that investing capital funds in parks can generate significant economic returns. (July 28)
