Opening schoolyards could boost park score

L.A. ranks 90th on a list of 100 big-city parks

- STEVE LOPEZ

THE HISTORIC Griffith Park pool sits empty and out of service since 2020.

As report cards go, it was one you hoped the dog would eat before anyone saw it.

In a recent ranking of parks in the nation’s 100 most populous cities, Los Angeles surrendered its spot at No. 88.

And dropped to No. 90.

That's ridiculous in a city known for its year-round get-outdoors climate.

“It’s not a good look,” a city repairman told me while fixing a sprinkler at Griffith Park Recreation Center, where the historic swimming pool is an empty tank, out of service since 2020.

With the city about to host World Cup soccer matches next year, and just three years out from hosting the 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, the repairman had a thought:

“This would be a good time to boost the parks,” he said.

No kidding. But that would mean jumping over a set of hurdles higher than any you'll find in an Olympic event.

The Trust for Public Land’s annual rankings for municipal parks are based on acreage, investment, amenities, access and equity. Washington, D.C., is No. 1, Irvine No. 2 and San Francisco No. 6.

Other California cities ranked higher than L.A. are San Diego (22), Sacramento (32), Fremont (38), San Jose (41), Oakland (44), Long Beach (56), Santa Clarita (63), Santa Ana (79), Stockton (80), Riverside and Anaheim (tied at 81), and Chula Vista (84).