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DC parks are the 6th best in the nation, according to the ParkScore Index. The index was created by the Trust for Public Land, a national nonprofit organization working to create and improve neighborhood parks. The city that took the top spot was Minneapolis, but the second best, New York City, only beat DC by 2 points. Boston, Sacramento, and San Francisco tied for third place at just one point higher than Washington, DC.

The ParkScore Index is based on three factors:  park access, park size, and service and investment. This year, the survey looked at the 50 largest US cities to determine the final rankings.

ParkScore Index found that the median DC park size is 0.67 acres and that parkland makes up 19.7% of the city. That park size garnered the city…

Play DC is a new plan to rejuvenate playgrounds in the city. Mayor Vincent Gray has allotted $35 million in 2013 and $4 million in 2014 to the effort, which is a partnership between the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) and the Department of General Services (DGS).

As part of Play DC, 32 playgrounds will be renovated by October 2013. There are currently 24 playgrounds under construction in all eight wards. Wards 3 and 4 both have the most park improvement projects with five each.

The initial renovations aren’t your run-of-the-mill slides and swings; they are exciting, themed spaces specially chosen for each neighborhood. In the wooded Takoma Park Playground (300 Van Buren Street, NW), the new play structure is modeled after a tree house.  The…