While Cecil’s answer is of course correct on the strict definition of “city park” - it’s a park, and it’s administered by city authorities - I wonder, what’s the largest park in the U.S. that is surrounded by residential and/or business areas? Fairmount Park certainly is; it’s in the heart of Philadelphia, and if you leave it in any direction, you are in something that’s definitely city. The names of the two Phoenix parks - South Mountain Park and Phoenix Mountain Reserve - lead me to believe, perhaps incorrectly, that these are in mountainous areas that are technically within city limits but not surrounded by city-type development - much as my adopted home of Oslo has large forested areas around the edges that are closed to most forms of development.
So what’s the largest American city park that’s entirely surrounded by city? Does any park beat out Fairmount here, or does Philly get the bragging rights?
Fairmount Park is actually mostly in the northwestern area of the city and not so much “in the heart” of the city a la Central Park in Manhattan. In fact large parts of the park boundary are also the city limits in places. Nonetheless, the suburbs around the park are in most cases very highly developed and would look quite urban to the casual observer, not to mention the fact that the formal city boundaries of the park are bounded by obvious city, including a lot of outright ghetto. I don’t believe there’s anything that large meeting that description in the US.
The reason that the Schuylkill River is part of the park is that park initially grew out of a concern for keeping the city’s drinking water supply cleaner when the Fairmount Water Works was in operation.
In fairness the claim I’ve heard out of Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park Commission (which is an interesting urban artifact in its own right) is that the Fairmount Park system is the nation’s largest, which includes other large urban parks such as Pennypack and FDR Parks as well as countless smaller neighborhood ones.
By flodnak’s definition of an ‘actual’ urban I’d be surprised if the ‘proper’ Fairmount Park doesn’t have all takers whupped.
It’s claimed to be the largest forested urban park. Which for some folk in that part of the country is very important. The old “It’s not a park if it doesn’t have trees.” mentality. To each his/her own.
The names of the two Phoenix parks - South Mountain Park and Phoenix Mountain Reserve - lead me to believe, perhaps incorrectly, that these are in mountainous areas that are technically within city limits but not surrounded by city-type development -
You are incorrect. They are certainly surrounded by city. And they are real parks, too…with hiking trails, restrooms, picnic areas, and the like. And it’s Phoenix Mountain Preserve, not reserve. Look at a map of Phoenix on Google Earth…the Mountain Preserve is really just north of center, and there is nothing but residential development south of South Mountain Park for miles.
Come on, for a city this size we have so few claims to fame…let us have the biggest city parks already!
Theobroma, born in Philly, yes Fairmount park is big but ours are bigger, enjoying the Phoenix Winter
The website for the Fairmount Park System here says only that it is “one of the largest urban parks in the country” at 9,200 acres total.
The Cleveland Metroparks System covers more than 20,000 acres; hundreds of miles of trails; 60 miles of paved, multi-purpose (bike/walk/skate) trails; 82 miles of equestrian trails; all in an urban/suburban setting.
I don’t know, however, if any one park in the system is large enough to be considered among the largest. Many of them are inteconnected in one large “emerald necklace” around the city, but are not really one park.
Shout out for the Emerald Necklace! I spent so much of my childhood in the North Chagrin Reservation. Later on as an adult I romanced and necked in Cuyahoga Valley Park, the biggest of the Cleveland Metroparks. I liked how the Chagrin, Cuyahoga, and Rocky River valleys all formed that shape.
