Fort Worth’s park system just logged a serious climb on the national scoreboard, jumping 14 spots in the Trust for Public Land’s ParkScore index. The city moved from 72nd to 58th, and that rise helped put roughly three-quarters of Fort Worth residents within a 10-minute walk of a park, a shift city leaders tie to new partnerships and targeted investments.
Trust for Public Land’s 2026 ParkScore city profile lists Fort Worth at 58th and reports that 73% of residents now live within a 10-minute walk of a park. According to the Trust for Public Land, the index scores cities on acreage, access, investment, amenities, and equity.
Officials say the single biggest driver of that access boost was a November 2025 agreement with the Fort Worth Independent School District to open playgrounds at more than 70 campuses after hours. The full list of participating campuses is published by the City of Fort Worth. As reported by the Fort Worth Star‑Telegram, the Trust for Public Land noted the schoolyards program as a major factor in the city’s gains.
Bonds And Good Natured Momentum
Partnerships are only part of the story. Proposition B in the 2026 bond package, which allocates about $185.1 million for parks, recreation, and open space, was part of an $845 million package voters approved on May 2, according to NBC DFW. Mayor Mattie Parker’s Good Natured greenspace initiative has helped guide where that funding will be spent, the city says, giving the bond dollars a roadmap rather than a blank check.
How ParkScore Measures Access
ParkScore is particularly friendly to cities that add close-to-home parks. It counts the share of residents within a half-mile walk and also weighs park acreage, amenities, and per-resident spending. Opening schoolyards is a fast way to move the needle, because the Trust for Public Land’s ParkServe mapping tracks usable park entrances and leaves out spaces cut off by highways or other barriers. The Trust for Public Land provides more detail on its methodology and the Fort Worth profile.
“The improvement is really a combination of strategic investments, stronger partnerships and better data,” Dave Lewis, director of Fort Worth Parks & Recreation, said in a city press release, as reported by the Fort Worth Star‑Telegram. Mayor Mattie Parker added that the rise “reflects our commitment to building a park system that serves every neighborhood,” language the city included in its announcement and local coverage.
City staff says the gains are encouraging but not the finish line, pointing to gaps in amenities and acreage that bond funding and future projects are supposed to fill. For now, the ParkScore bump gives Fort Worth a data-backed talking point as it chases more green space and better neighborhood access.
