Trust for Public Land Announces Bridgeport Parkscore Analysis

Assessment process brings together PT Partners, community members, and Connecticut Green Bank to analyze the conditions of the City’s parks

 

Bridgeport, CT (Nov. 19, 2025) – The City of Bridgeport and Trust for Public Land (TPL) are proud to announce that the city was recently selected for TPL’s 10-Minute Walk® Park Equity Accelerator (PEA), which will lead to the creation of a custom ParkScore Analysis for the city. This project is supported by PT Partners (PTP), a grassroots, resident-led, community organizing non-profit in Bridgeport, who will lead data collection and organize community contribution. The data collection is funded by the Connecticut Green Bank.

This project adapts TPL’s national ParkScore index to Bridgeport, incorporating a custom park asset and condition assessment, community engagement, and a financial assessment within the Park Equity Accelerator. The project aims to develop a customized map marking amenities and park conditions as well as a custom ParkScore report, assessing the city’s park system against national metrics of acreage, access, investment, equity, and amenities.

“While Bridgeport is known as The Park City, it’s imperative that we continue our work with the Trust for Public Land, as it relates to our approach to improving quality of life throughout the city,” stated Mayor Ganim. “We’re a city that has 48 parks, which is a key part of our community’s identity. We pride ourselves on the number of green spaces we have available to all who live in Bridgeport. And with these spaces and TPL’s ParkScore Analysis, our hope is to show residents that equity lies within the number of parks and all amenities included in our city. Residents should have the ability to walk to their nearest park, and I’m proud to say that TPL’s efforts will allow us the opportunity to make improvements where equity can be improved.”

“TPL is proud to partner with Bridgeport’s Sustainability Office, Parks Department, and the Office of Planning and Economic Development to make sure every resident has access to quality parks and green spaces,” said Walker Holmes, Mid-Atlantic Region and Connecticut State Director at Trust for Public Land. “Together, we’re supporting the city’s efforts to advance policy change to create more equitable, healthy, and vibrant neighborhoods for everyone in Bridgeport.”

“We are excited to work with the City of Bridgeport, Trust for Public Land, and the Connecticut Green Bank on Bridgeport’s first ParkScore Analysis,” said Dr. Vanessa Liles, Co-Project Director at PT Partners.

PTP is responsible for managing data collection, which was conducted by residents of Bridgeport’s public housing, who have been increasing their community leadership capacity in Bridgeport. PTP started surveying over 60 parks in Bridgeport in July and this work was completed at the end of September.

This work is one step towards seeing a new future for parks in Bridgeport. “Knowing I’m able to make a change for my kid and future kids is a great position to be in,” said Nautica Williams, resident leader, when discussing the role her surveying the parks plays in improving parks in the city.

“Parks are not only community gathering spaces, but are also vital infrastructure that strengthen resilience, equity, and quality of life through the health benefits created. This project offers a critical view into the investment needs of a coastal city’s park system, and we are eager to help Bridgeport make its parks stronger, healthier, and more sustainable for generations to come,” says Bryan Garcia, the CEO and President of the Green Bank. “As a place where we have enabled significant private capital investment, we have deep connections in the City and have partnered with several local organizations to support community visioning across energy development and parks decisions. We have leaned into the use of community benefit agreements as a tool that can empower the people and prioritize their needs in development.”

The final ParkScore report is anticipated to be released in the spring of 2026.