Benefits of Parks
The benefits of parks are numerous and range from crime reduction, improved physical and psychological health, increased real estate values and environmental benefits and more.
Park Angels
In a unique program, the Charleston Parks Conservancy is recruiting five people who are energetic and passionate about Charleston city parks to spearhead the movement and serve as both online and offline ambassadors of the organization. Each Park Angel will have their own interesting and unique story.
History
Many Charleston parks have remarkable history, including the more famous White Point Gardens and Marion Square, as well as lesser known parks, such as Hampton Park, which was the site of a world's fair in 1901 and the former location of the Citadel.
Tourism
Improving Charleston area parks may attract more area tourism, one of the city's most important sources of income.
Caring for Your Neighborhood Park
The Charleston Parks Conservancy can offer tips on how locals can begin the process of improving their local green spaces.
Central Park Conservancy
The Charleston Parks Conservancy follows successful models, such as New York's Central Park Conservancy. The Central Park Conservancy founded in 1980, also partners with its local Parks & Recreation Department and has invested more than $450 million to date into Central Park. Conservancy crews aerate and seed lawns; rake leaves; prune and fertilize trees; plant shrubs and flowers; maintain ball fields and playgrounds; remove graffiti; conserve monuments, bridges, and buildings; and care for water bodies and woodlands, controlling erosion, maintaining the drainage system, and protecting over 150 acres of lakes and streams from pollution, siltation and algae. It is recognized as a national model for urban park revitalization.
