A concert at Levitt Pavilion Dayton in Dave Hall Plaza
Happy Park and Recreation Month!
This July organizations across the country are celebrating Park and Recreation Month by using the hashtag #OurParkAndRecStory and sharing how green spaces have made their communities stronger, more vibrant and more resilient.
At the Levitt Foundation, ensuring access to green space is an essential part of our mission to foster equitable, thriving and sustainable communities. Through partnerships with nonprofits across the country, we support the activation of underused parks, vacant downtown lots, former brownfields and more to create green spaces where people of all ages and backgrounds can come together to enjoy both the beauty of nature and the power of free, live music through Levitt concerts.
Most people agree that parks are important to the health and well-being of communities. This past year, the role of parks, trails and open spaces became even more critical for individuals, families and communities seeking fresh air, opportunities to exercise, mental health breaks and a place to safely say hello to their neighbors. Studies show access to green space can lower stress hormones, alleviate depression and anxiety, lower blood pressure and reduce overall mortality. Across the U.S., local and county municipalities also used parks as infrastructure for COVID response, including testing and vaccination. As the country reopened this past summer, we’re thrilled that the parks home to Levitt venues and AMP concert sites across the country are once again bringing people together through the joy of free, live music.
At their best, public spaces are places where everyone feels like they belong. Where neighbors meet and strangers easily interact, cultural traditions are celebrated, and where voices are expressed and communities gather to heal. The Levitt Foundation has supported the activation of nearly 50 underused public green spaces across the country, creating joyous, inclusive places where people connect and embrace their shared humanity.
In honor of Parks and Recreation Month, we’re shining a light on some of the wonderful parks and green spaces Levitt venues and AMP grantees call home, from Overton Park in Memphis to MacArthur Park in Los Angeles, from Ruby Hill Park in Denver to Dave Hall Plaza in Dayton.
