Mailbag of Angels

Parks, local government, and Edmund Burke

I’ll be back in D.C. when this mailbag runs, but we’ve been in LA this week to visit family and were able to meet up with local Slow Boring readers on Wednesday. Thanks to everyone who joined us for happy hour!

Some brief good news: India is undergoing an infrastructure boom, a YIMBY bill moving forward in California and Montana, and immigration is back.

Questions! Answers!

Bo: What do you think about LA public parks vs NYC public parks? What’s the difference and is one city doing it better? If so, why?

lindamc: Yes please, and maybe include other big-city park systems (DC, Chicago) as well? I have noticed that DC (non-NPS) parks have improved a lot recently.

I’m obviously speaking based on limited experience here, but the big difference is that Los Angeles is taking advantage of its natural circumstances and later date of settlement to have bigger and more ambitious parks. Griffith Park has more of the vibes I associate with a state park (it’s very nature-y) versus NYC’s big parks, which …