Once again, we make a top-ten list! This time it’s American Planning Association’s list of 2011 Great Places in America! What an honor it is to have Northwest Washington’s Point Defiance Park recognized in such a prestigious list!
APA’s flagship program celebrates places of exemplary character, quality, and planning. Places are selected annually and represent the gold standard in terms of having a true sense of place, cultural and historical interest, community involvement, and a vision for tomorrow. APA Great Places offer better choices for where and how people work and live. They are enjoyable, safe, and desirable. They are places where people want to be — not only to visit, but to live and work every day. America’s truly great streets, neighborhoods and public spaces are defined by many criteria, including architectural features, accessibility, functionality, and community involvement. Here is what they had to say about Point Defiance Park:
“Described by one Tacoma resident as having “the beauty and adventure of a national park within minutes from home,” Point Defiance juxtaposes urbanity with wilderness, and scenic views with volunteerism. Authors of the park’s original 1911 master plan noted that the area’s vistas were “as beautiful as views over land and water as can be seen in this or foreign lands” and found the mountainscape “toward the great Olympic range with its snow-capped peaks glistening in the sunshine … to be equal to view[s] in Italy and the Mediterranean.”
Read full article and see what other places made the list at http://www.planning.org/greatplaces/index.htm
