The City of Lynnwood was selected to receive a $40,000 grant from the National Recreation and Park Association to support Lynnwood’s planning and policy efforts that help increase access to high-quality parks — and the city is inviting residents to become park champions.

Do you or your family live near a Lynnwood park? Like to play basketball or soccer? Use playgrounds, trails, or picnic areas? Parks are critical for healthy thriving communities and the city wants to hear about how you are getting to and using parks.

As a Park Champion, you will map your walk to a park, take observations, and complete a short survey. This is an opportunity to provide your feedback on getting to your neighborhood park safely and share about your park experience.

Research shows that access to high-quality parks within a half mile of home have a wide range of benefits to a community, the city said in an announcement.

• Parks improve overall health by providing opportunities to be physically active.
• Parks help grow local economies by increasing property values of nearby homes and supporting visitors and tourism.
• Parks improve residents’ overall quality of life by conserving natural areas and providing protection from climate change.
• Parks make the community livable by providing recreational and social opportunities.

Mayor Nicola Smith is a proud signatory of the 10-Minute Walk campaign, led by the National Recreation and Park Association, The Trust for Public Land (TPL) and the Urban Land Institute (ULI). To learn more about the campaign visit: 10minutewalk.org

To learn more and become a park champion, visit: www.healthylynnwood.com