This study highlights the poor conditions of urban
parks in South Tucson, a predominantly Hispanic area, and provides actionable
solutions for enhancing equity in urban park access and quality. This was done
by comparing the parks in the study area to the parks in East Tucson, an area
predominantly Caucasian. The samples were selected using stratified random
sampling. The case study method was used to make a comparison
between three parks in south Tucson, namely Santa Rosa, Mirasol, and Ormsby
Parks, and those in East Tucson, namely Roy P. Drachmann Agua, Morris K.
Udall, and Michael Perry Parks. Findings show that parks in east Tucson had
more amenities, were better maintained, were larger, and had a higher
proportion of green spaces and more facilities than those in south Tucson. The
author recommends that park authorities ensure that the parks in South Tucson
are well-maintained and have enough amenities and green spaces to meet the
needs of the residents. Also, the residents should collaborate to identify
park development priorities to ensure they have a voice in creating sustainable
parks in their communities. Lastly, the principles of environmental
justice should be included as a criterion for the distribution and maintenance
of public parks for underserved populations.
